You might think coloring is for kids but really it’s a favorite past time for grown ups worldwide. Don’t believe me? Look no further than the Amazon top 10 book list and you will see 4 of them are coloring books for grownups.
Coloring for grownups isn’t new but it’s popularity has been on the rise, and for good reason!
Coloring stimulates the right side of the brain – where your creativity, intuition and visualization lies. Big picture thinking, music, color, emotion and fun come from the right side of the brain when you allow it some space to breathe and play.
Grabbing your pencils, crayons or makers and coloring is also a great way to detach from the many screens that have taken over our lives – from televisions, to computers to smart phones. Going “old school” and playing with colored pencils or markers and paper is a great escape!
Coloring is a form of active meditation – instead of sitting quietly, what most people think of when they think of meditation – you are doing repetitive and focused motions, which cause your brain to focus on the task and release the thoughts that may be spinning in your head and causing you stress. Stress levels go down and feelings of peace and happiness increase.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, “One of the first psychologists to apply coloring as a relaxation technique was Carl G. Jüng in the early 20th century. He did this through mandalas: circular designs with concentric shapes similar to the Gothic churches’ rose windows. They have their origin in India.”
Color psychology talks about how specific colors are related to different moods. If you want to make your coloring extra therapeutic, you could use these concepts when choosing your colors. For example blues are said to lower blood pressure and are relaxing while reds are energizing – this is why interior decorators often say not to paint a bedroom red if you want to get a good night’s sleep. If you want to know more about color theory and psychology, check out the Wikipedia page.
Personally, I just like knowing that coloring is not only fun, but is good for you. Choose the colors that speak to you and go for it. Color alone, color with your friends, color with your kids. If you haven’t colored since you were a kid – why not give it a try again!
You can get a copy of my coloring book,Color Yourself Happy, on Amazon.
– Tara Reed
