Coloring for a Cause
Coloring is more than just a nostalgic pastime—it’s also a surprisingly effective tool for bringing us into the present moment, easing tension, and quieting the mind.
When you slow down to fill in shapes or patterns, you gently shift your focus away from worries, to the feel of the crayon or marker, the color transitions, and the act of shading. In doing so, coloring naturally invites mindfulness: staying in the moment, being nonjudgmental about what appears on the page, and letting go of pressure to “get it right.”
Go ahead—color a little, breathe a little, and let stress fade into the lines and hues.
Emerging research backs up these experiential benefits with physiological data. In one study, adults who engaged in visual art making showed statistically significant reductions in cortisol—a key biomarker of stress—after their session. Even just 10 minutes of adult coloring daily has been linked with reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms.
Carve out just 10 to 20 minutes over the course of your day (or encourage your kids to)—grab crayons, markers, colored pencils, print those free coloring pages—and allow yourself to color with no expectations. You’re likely to find your heart rate softening, your mind untangling, and your sense of calm rising.
