Colouring for Adults

 

Colour Away your Stresses

Believe it or not colouring-in is taking the world by storm. No-longer just for kids...Adults have taken to this past time with great enthusiasm. It is reported that 6 of the top 20 best selling books on Amazon.com are colouring books for grown ups! My favourite is Millie Marotta's Animal Kingdom - A Colouring Book Adventure.

Switch Off

If you have ever given it a go, you will know that it is immensely rewarding. So many of us find it difficult to switch of and do 'nothing'. Colouring is proving to be an enjoyable past time across the UK - de-stressing and allowing us to find a simple creative outlet. Not all colouring books are just for colouring in - some of them include a doodling section which allows the colourer to freely express their creativity.

The concept is so simply that a colouring book and pencils (or fine point pens - which seem to be popular) can be taken anywhere - no mess - no fuss - and easy to pick up where you left off last time. I sound like I am selling! But I am truly a colouring in advocate.

Psychological Benefits of Colouring In

Clinical psychologist Ben Michaelis says "There is a long history of people colouring for mental health reasons," Michaelis says. "Carl Jung used to try to get his patients to colour in mandalas at the turn of the last century, as a way of getting people to focus and to allow the subconscious to let go. Now we know it has a lot of other stress-busting qualities as well."

Colouring and Mindfulness

So not only is colouring in fun! But it has relaxation and health benefits. Colouring in has been compared to mind meditation. Mindfulness is certainly a buzz word and there are many studies looking at the benefits of mind meditation. For many though - focused attention in a busy world is something difficult to achieve without practise. Focusing your attention through colouring in is a simple process - and even if your concentration is momentarily broken, it is easy to return your attention to the task in hand. You are in essence returning your attention to the moment aka mindfulness.

Colouring Benefits

Less Stress - Less Anxiety

"Numerous studies have put France among the world’s top consumers of antidepressants, and with the colouring book craze publishers may have hit on a way to fight stress and depression that avoids the side effects of popping pills"

Pen or Pencil?

In June last year it was reported in the telegraph that the colouring trend was sweeping France - predominantly popular with french women.

"Women - publishers say the vast majority of adult colourers are female - have formed groups on Facebook and other social media where they proudly post their work and share tips on new books or where to buy the best crayons. Cynthia Riviere, who administers a Facebook group of more than 1,000 colouring book fans, says she spends at least an hour a day filling in the gaps with coloured pencils."

My personal favourites are these fine point Colouring Pens.

I hope you have been inspired!

Gemma x