Coloring is a natural childhood joy. You see pure bliss on a child's face when given a new coloring book and especially a new box of crayons. Did you ever notice that one of the first things a child does with her crayons is to smell them? Their smell is invigorating and tantalizing.
Applying color to the black and white pages of a coloring book, is creative, fun, relaxing and you get to create something to be proud of.
Unfortunately as adults, we tend to put our crayons aside for more grown up endeavors. As we mature we put away our artistic aspirations and replace them with more worthwhile activities.
I must admit that personally I bought into this concept hook, line and sinker. When my two older daughters were small, I colored with them, and enjoyed doing it. I never realized the calming effect it had on both the girls and me.
My older daughter continued to draw; she especially drew mandalas and other geometric types of pictures. I was proud of her endeavors for they were truly beautiful. Years passed and any thought of coloring was far from my mind, then after my third daughter was born, coloring resurfaced. I was still too deeply entrenched in the line between childhood and adulthood that I resisted the draw of the crayons.
My daughter is developmentally delayed and autistic, which is very sad, yet at the same time there are many joys. She loves coloring, even as a teenager she has a very large box of coloring books of many types. She loves crayons, especially the new scented crayons; these are crayons that leave behind a scent after you color with them. They have some really good scents such as roses and linen, but most of them smell, well yucky, to me. They have scents such as dirty sneakers, wet dog, and other unusual scents.
I have to admit to ridiculing her for wanting such childish things; I wanted her to be normal. What I didn't realize is that her fondness for coloring and crayons is very normal. It just isn't what most teenage girls spend their time doing.
Finally I saw the light and recognized the almost instant calming and relaxing effect that drawing had on her. It was a fantastic mood-altering, anger reducing experience. At long last, I shut up about telling her to grow up.
I joined her in coloring, using the time to tune into her instead of against her. I found that I enjoyed coloring once again. It did its work on me also. Along with bonding with my child, I also relaxed and enjoyed the calming effect that coloring had on me.
I then did research on the values of coloring for an adult. I found that my kids were right. Coloring is indeed a stress buster. It breaks the circuit of our over-loaded brains filled with never-ending thoughts. I found out that coloring quiets your mind as you focus on your masterpiece.
I also found out that there are no rules when it comes to coloring, color outside the lines; it is surprising a way of breaking the rules, and it feels so good. There are no coloring police to arrest you for breaking the color inside the lines rule. Nor do you have to follow the instructions and use the suggested colors. It is a release that is outstanding.
There are coloring books of every type available for a low price, plus there are pages on the web that you download for free. There are wonderful stained glass types of coloring books that you use colored pencils to color and then put the picture on a window facing the sun and the effect is truly fantastic. Every time you look at it you will re-capture the pleasure you had in creating your masterpiece.
In conclusion get yourself some crayons, colored pencils, markers or paint and allow your self the freedom and stress reducing pleasure of coloring. It is good for you!
Applying color to the black and white pages of a coloring book, is creative, fun, relaxing and you get to create something to be proud of.
Unfortunately as adults, we tend to put our crayons aside for more grown up endeavors. As we mature we put away our artistic aspirations and replace them with more worthwhile activities.
I must admit that personally I bought into this concept hook, line and sinker. When my two older daughters were small, I colored with them, and enjoyed doing it. I never realized the calming effect it had on both the girls and me.
My older daughter continued to draw; she especially drew mandalas and other geometric types of pictures. I was proud of her endeavors for they were truly beautiful. Years passed and any thought of coloring was far from my mind, then after my third daughter was born, coloring resurfaced. I was still too deeply entrenched in the line between childhood and adulthood that I resisted the draw of the crayons.
My daughter is developmentally delayed and autistic, which is very sad, yet at the same time there are many joys. She loves coloring, even as a teenager she has a very large box of coloring books of many types. She loves crayons, especially the new scented crayons; these are crayons that leave behind a scent after you color with them. They have some really good scents such as roses and linen, but most of them smell, well yucky, to me. They have scents such as dirty sneakers, wet dog, and other unusual scents.
I have to admit to ridiculing her for wanting such childish things; I wanted her to be normal. What I didn't realize is that her fondness for coloring and crayons is very normal. It just isn't what most teenage girls spend their time doing.
Finally I saw the light and recognized the almost instant calming and relaxing effect that drawing had on her. It was a fantastic mood-altering, anger reducing experience. At long last, I shut up about telling her to grow up.
I joined her in coloring, using the time to tune into her instead of against her. I found that I enjoyed coloring once again. It did its work on me also. Along with bonding with my child, I also relaxed and enjoyed the calming effect that coloring had on me.
I then did research on the values of coloring for an adult. I found that my kids were right. Coloring is indeed a stress buster. It breaks the circuit of our over-loaded brains filled with never-ending thoughts. I found out that coloring quiets your mind as you focus on your masterpiece.
I also found out that there are no rules when it comes to coloring, color outside the lines; it is surprising a way of breaking the rules, and it feels so good. There are no coloring police to arrest you for breaking the color inside the lines rule. Nor do you have to follow the instructions and use the suggested colors. It is a release that is outstanding.
There are coloring books of every type available for a low price, plus there are pages on the web that you download for free. There are wonderful stained glass types of coloring books that you use colored pencils to color and then put the picture on a window facing the sun and the effect is truly fantastic. Every time you look at it you will re-capture the pleasure you had in creating your masterpiece.
In conclusion get yourself some crayons, colored pencils, markers or paint and allow your self the freedom and stress reducing pleasure of coloring. It is good for you!
Patricia M. Hines invites you to visit her website at http://ezhousecleaning.com. For more tips about an organized life and success please read some related posts.
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