On your to do list, you’ve probably got all sorts of things that you’re dreading:
paying the bills, going to
work, cleaning your home, etc. But, what about refueling yourself and making yourself happy again? When you make
time for pleasant things on a daily basis you can reap serious benefits, and you won’t even have to look that
far for it: adult coloring.
This is a trend that is sweeping our Western world for all of the right reasons. You can find a variety of
printouts online for free to try it out for yourself before you invest in a book of your very own. These books
are designed specifically for adults, so you will be challenged by the intricate designs. There is a wide
variety ranging from animals, under the sea, mandalas, mythical creatures, nature scenes, and even famous
characters ranging from Star Wars to Disney Villains. So the question that remains now is: why should I try
coloring as an adult? Here are a series of great benefits to get you reaching for those pencils.
It gets you out of your head:
When you’ve had a chaotic day and you need to get everything in check,
adult coloring can be fantastic. You’ll get your thoughts in order and you’ll allow those frustrations of the
day to go away even if it’s just for ten minutes. This is a great task to do when you need to take a mental
break. If you are dealing with an emotional situation, it will allow you to step back and see that situation
for what it is and process the emotion, too.
Allows you time to recharge:
On a deeper level, if you are having a really bad day or week you need
to find something to help you recharge. If you are looking to stay motivated to keep going with your life,
coloring is great. It’s methodical and soothing and it will allow you to find the energy to get up the next
morning and do what you have to do. It resets you back to an equilibrium.
You can’t do it wrong:
The thing is, it’s hard to mess up coloring. Even if you color outside the
lines (gasp), it’s not the end of the world. Erase the strokes and keep going, or just flip to a new page if
you can’t handle the thought of it. Simple, fun, and easy enough to fix.
It’s easy to stop and start when you want to:
Easy to do this when you have a few minutes and simple enough
to stop, you will be able to fit this into wherever you need it to go, and whenever you need it to work.
You’ll be able to enjoy it for 2 minutes, 20 minutes or 2 hours. The only thing is, it is addictive, so
sometimes stopping – while you may have to – can be difficult. Who doesn’t like a finished product? Seriously
speaking, though, it’s easy to fit into your availability and it’s a great stress reliever.
You can combine it with other therapies:
If you are someone who loves aromatherapy or other kind of calming
techniques, this is a great one that you can use alongside them. This will make the calming effects of both
much more pronounced so that you’ll see that it’s a great technique to add into your schedule.
Research supports it:
Actively engaging in an adult coloring activity is especially beneficial to people
with high stress, anxiety, or trauma. If you are a person who has difficulty shutting off your mind, maybe you
struggle with racing thoughts or excessive worrying, then coloring has been shown to require enough attention
and focus that you are calming down the part of your brain that has been on high-alert causing some of your
anxiety. Also, for people who have had traumatic experiences it helps with giving a structured activity in
order to keep your mind busy when you would, otherwise, be focusing on the traumatic event. This is true of
people with OCD tendencies. If a person would usually be doing a compulsory activity, like checking things 5x
or making a list for the 10th time, you can replace that with a coloring activity to help keep manage the
anxiety in a healthier way.
Adult coloring might be relatively new on the market, but it’s taken off like wildfire and is now a huge trend
that seems to be sticking around for a while. While it may seem a little goofy, there are some fantastic
benefits to this new craze. Try it out and see for yourself!
some real benefits to this new craze.
Pivotal Counseling Center has therapists with a variety of specialties. We have locations in Woodstock, Illinois, and Lake in the Hills, Illinois. If you are in need of someone to help, please consider giving us a call at (815) 345-3400.
Pivotal Counseling Center is now accepting Medicaid including Blue Cross Community Medicaid, Meridian Medicaid, and Molina Medicaid for outpatient counseling.
