Written by Sophia ‘SoJay' Jackson
Yes, adults colour. If you’re reading this and thinking, “Of course adults should colour”, this will be further validation for you. If you think that colouring is only for kids – this is especially for you!
Colouring is Art Therapy
Many of us have heard or read that art therapy has amazing benefits. It only stands to reason that colouring is also beneficial, because it is a form of art. Colouring is one of the first and simplest ways many of us created our first artistic masterpiece. I am pretty sure your masterpiece was displayed on a fridge or a wall in your home. A friend of mine framed her little one’s colouring art, making their works part of their home decor.
Do you remember the pride and satisfaction of having something you created on display? Hold onto that memory as you read these benefits of colouring as an adult:
1. It Connects You To Your Inner Child & Simpler Times
By simply sitting down with your favourite crayons you automatically transport yourself to a simpler time. Colouring can help center you emotionally; that connection to your inner child or younger self brings pause and calm.
2. It Can Be Therapeutic
It’s healing, a treatment of dis-ease. Upon diagnosis of a serious illness, we are told to slow down and focus on our well-being. Colouring is a therapy. Why not be proactive?
3. It Is a Vehicle For Meditation & Mindfulness
Colouring helps to put you in a meditative state because it creates the environment to be in the moment and not think of anything else. Focus on the sound made when the crayon makes contact with the paper, or the images taking shape before you, or the richness of the colours. Meditating allows you to become conscious of your actions, training your brain to switch gears.
4. It Can Lower Stress & Anxiety Levels
Adulting ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. The stress and anxiety that comes with managing your life and the lives of those around you can be heavy. There is no manual for life. Using colouring to escape these responsibilities can make a huge impact. Channeling nervous energy into something creative will shift your thinking and increase your ability to cope with whatever life throws at you. But you have to make time! Colouring may not become your thing, but it could be one of the things you try on your self-care journey. Most importantly, be intentional about creating moments of peace.
5. It Supports Positive Thinking
Positive thinking and positive self-talk are extremely powerful. Some may say it’s just a gimmick but there is factual physiological science behind the benefits. That’s right, saying nice things to yourself (preferably out loud) supports normal human function. I can’t go deep into it in this post but understand that consciously or subconsciously you’re programming your brain to be attuned to the things you say and think. As we know, we focus on the bad stuff way more, which is why we must be extremely intentional about saying and thinking positive things and reading and watching beneficial, affirming content. You’ve heard the saying you are what you eat, right? Well, you are what you say and think to yourself also. When you read positive messages while colouring you are programming positivity into your brain which helps to quiet the negative noise. It can take 3-5 positive thoughts to neutralize one negative, so be consistent.
6. It Stimulates Creativity
Everyone is creative; we simply express it in different ways. Self-expression is what makes colouring so great. Use whatever colours you want, colour outside of the lines, be conservative or eccentric. Just have fun! Allow your inner creativity, no matter how big or small, to come out (and if you’re doubting your creativity, please go back and read number 5).
Colouring soothes the soul. Try it, you might like it!