Five Reasons I Love Coloring
Coloring helps me to relieve stress
When adult coloring first became a trend back in 2015, I thought it sounded childish. Why would adults love to color? But then one of my Facebook friends posted dozens of photos she colored. She gushed about how it relieved her stress. Soon enough, after the trend died down, I decided to start coloring. And I’m glad I did! Here are five ways I benefit from coloring.
Coloring allows me to relive the fun part of my childhood.
As a child, I was often bullied for having learning disabilities. But one thing that always helped me was tapping into creative outlets such as writing and coloring. It reminded me that self-expression was exhilarating, and I could be happy in my own little world.
When I color now, I remember the days when I drew random “bubble gum pictures” and colored them with vibrant shades (the colors of gumballs). I spent hours on those pictures. One year for my birthday, my mom gave me scented markers! When I was nine or ten, my parents gave me gel pens for a good report card. During the dreaded back-to-school shopping days, my mom bought me Lisa Frank art sets and folders. Coloring reminds me of all the times I felt loved during my youth.
Coloring books with positive quotes improve my mood and mindset.
When I am feeling down, I enjoy pulling out coloring books with positive quotes. Even though some of the messages are cliche, I have to look at them as I am coloring. After spending a few minutes on a picture, the quote remains in my mind for the rest of the day. Many of the quotes I color are Bible verses. When I am done coloring them, I hang up the pictures that mean the most to me. That way, I have reminders of the good things in life. Making those reminders pretty much helps me to enjoy reading them. My bad days become a little brighter.
I avoid mindlessly eating.
There are many times when I crave junk food. Other times, I just eat out of boredom. Coloring gives me something to focus on other than food. Since it takes a lot of time to color intricate pictures, that leaves me with less time to eat. Since my hands are already busy, and the fridge is several feet away, food is not immediately accessible. Therefore, I forget about the temptation to eat for the sake of eating.
I have cultivated and enhanced positive friendships.
Another thing I love about coloring is that it has allowed me to make friends who share my passion for it. Even now, years after the trend has faded, I have found many Facebook groups with people who love to color. Sometimes we have spontaneous coloring sessions via video chat. Also, on Instagram, I always see beautiful pictures. When I follow those artists, they follow me back. We inspire each other.
Not only have I met many other colorists, but I have also rekindled old friendships. Many of my friends from high school and college have a love for coloring. When I posted statuses about the hobby, some of them responded that they love it too. We have occasionally enjoyed coloring with each other. It does not have to be a solitary activity; it can be a social one, too.
Coloring has helped me find peace in being alone.
This may sound contradictory to my previous point, but there are times when I prefer to throw all of my attention onto my coloring tools and pictures. For instance, during my breaks at work, I used to color to forget about the stress from customers. Also, during my relationship, I didn’t want to constantly text my ex when he was at work. It was often tempting, but coloring distracted me from that. Having something to focus on helped me to feel less lonely. When I colored Bible verses, it served as a form of worship. I felt more connected to God.
Those were just five benefits of adult coloring. Perhaps you enjoy coloring or engaging in another creative hobby as well. If so, please share in the comments.
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