We are offering a weekly blog series with a collection of diverse and effective coping techniques and exercises that can help reduce stress, improve mental and emotional well-being, and perhaps make you even more effective in achieving your individual goals. Check back every Wednesday for the newest skill of the week. Try them all out and find what works best for you.
This week, Dr. Sarah Long shares her favorite self care technique:
When people hear the term ‘self-care,’ they often think of things like meditation or mindfulness prompts, going outside of a walk, or taking a bath to soothe one’s nerves. If you’re needing to add one more option to add your self-care list: adult coloring, especially adult coloring postcards.
More and more I’ve been recommending adult coloring postcards. Here’s why I love coloring as a strategy for self-care!
- Coloring can have a calming effect, especially in times of stress and overwhelm. Taking even a 15 minute ‘art’ break provides an opportunity to step away and allow your brain and nervous system to regroup.
- Coloring is an alternative way to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is known to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Coloring an intricate design helps a person to focus on the present, rather than continuing to stay lost in negative thoughts.
- Coloring, especially the adult coloring postcards, is a way of connecting. Given the Covid-19 pandemic, our world is facing an unprecedented amount of isolation and physical separation from those we love. Coloring in the form of a postcard not only provides an opportunity for mindfulness, but is an act of kindness and love towards those we care about. I mean, who doesn’t love getting some personalized mail these days!
My clients have been a bit hesitant at first, but once they give it a try, they have observed feeling a bit calmer. Many have also shared that sending postcards to friends and loved ones has helped at least a tiny bit with feeling less alone and distant.
Here are some links to my favorite adult coloring postcard books:
Rocky Mountain National Park Adult Coloring Book and Postcards
Lost Ocean. 36 Postcards to color and send by Joanna Bedford
Photo Credits:
Photo by Customerbox on Unsplash
