How long has it been since you have colored? Delight your day with this little activity because coloring boosts your mood and reduces Stress.
I used to see coloring books for adults filled with mandalas and the like on any book shelf I passed in the stores. They were popular. I haven’t seen them as often lately though I know they are still around. It took me a long time to finally take the dip.
My daughter now ensures I get in some coloring. It amazes me how she loves to color. She is a social bug and begs that I color with her even though it can be done efficiently and well on her own. The moments when I can and do, it seems to leach stress and anxiety out of my muscles and bones. It’s relaxing!
Benefits You Get From Coloring
Studies have shown that coloring will boost your mood and reduces stress. It is a productive activity that focuses your mind and body on a simple task while allowing your brain to relax. You feel calmer and happier.
Choosing color patterns and creating beautiful pictures engages your mind in creative ways. In turn, this fosters more creativity in other areas of your life. Additionally, this type of activity helps to slow the rate of cognitive decline, reducing the risk for dementia. It enhances your health and well-being.
While coloring any picture is a great activity, try patterns, specifically plaid. Apparently coloring a complex geometric pattern also helps reduce, in addition to stress, depression and tension.
Though you can color just for fun and because it delights your day, these benefits show us there is more to be gained in turning this activity into a hobby that you indulge in more frequently.
Coloring with Colored Pencils
My daughter first started coloring with crayons but you just cannot color detail with those fat things. Nor are they that enjoyable. I bought my daughter a large set of colored pencils (and then skinny markers at her request). But markers are messy. It’s easy to buy a small set of colored pencils and color on occasion. If you start coloring regularly, or decide you want to take it up a notch, get a good set of colored pencils with a large selection of color. It’s still easy and inexpensive to do. Believe it or not, there are groups and clubs that get serious with it, much like any other hobby. You can learn coloring tips from other “colorists”. Start simple of course.
Coloring Shapes
As a young girl I remember being at my aunt’s house and wanting to color. My aunt insisted that we shouldn’t color with pre-outlined pictures because that would take away our creativity. Instead we should start with blank paper and let our imaginations flow onto the page. I rarely colored after that because, I thought, pictures were too juvenile but the blank paper left me … blank. I didn’t realize until later as an adult that I wish I hadn’t listened to a word my aunt said. That is the biggest piece of hogwash. It robbed me of my prodigy self, coloring away the most magnificent masterpieces. Okay, maybe not, but I do wish I had colored more as a child.
I talked earlier about coloring complex geometric patterns. There’s something about coloring patterns that is good for our minds. I created a plaid design so you can print and color. Submit your email below and have it sent directly to your email.
An excellent time to color is just before bed. This will get you off the screen, which is best to stay away from before trying to sleep, and relax your mind and body. Coloring is a great prep activity for bed.
There you have it! Try it out and most likely add it to your Delight list. It’s easy and can fill whatever time you need it to whether you have a few minutes here or several minutes there.
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