Remember when you were a kid, lying on your stomach on the floor, coloring book open, crayon in hand with the other crayons spilling out of the box? Can you remember the feeling of peace and enjoyment that you felt while coloring? Why not consider revisiting this favorite childhood pastime to help with those times when you’re feeling nervous?

Coloring is one of the best forms of meditation.

For many of us, when we think of coloring, we connect with the innocence of childhood and a time when we weren’t weighed down by responsibility and expectation. Picking up a crayon once again can help us reconnect with a sense of simplicity that we have temporarily lost.

You could think of coloring as letting your inner child out and have fun, or you could think of this activity as a form of meditation. The choice of colors and the smooth, repetitive motion of your hand as you color the paper help calm your mind, slowing down your usual rapid thoughts to a much slower pace.

Now that you are an adult, there are no limits.

Now you can not only give yourself permission to color outside the lines, but you can keep your coloring as simple or as sophisticated as you like.

For less than $10 you can buy a giant coloring book and a box of Crayola crayons. There’s nothing like the smell of new crayons and reacquainting yourself with your favorite color, as well as opening a new coloring book and looking at all the possibilities before choosing your first coloring page.

(You can also search the Web for the many sites that offer free, easy-to-print coloring pages.)

You may have outgrown your crayons and want to color using something with a different texture and feel. Colored pencils and markers are an affordable alternative. But you might want to spend a little extra money and try colored pencils, Conte crayons, oil pastels, pastels, or watercolor pencils.

These days, many coloring books are used to market and promote children’s movie or television cartoon characters. Find books that contain basic illustrations of flowers, food, animals, etc. It’s a bit more difficult, but not impossible. Thematic coloring books are usually the best sellers.

Also, if you feel the need to add some intellectual stimulation to your coloring time, there are several coloring books that contain anatomy illustrations. It is said that one of the most effective ways medical students learn about the intricacies of the human body is by coloring detailed illustrations of various body parts.

Want to get a little risky? There are also themed coloring books for adults.

To make coloring a truly spiritual and meditative experience, find a pre-made mandala design or create your own to color. Mandalas are complex, symmetrical geometric designs that draw the eye to the center. Many religions use mandalas as a means of connecting the self with a higher power. Within Buddhism, mandalas are created as sacred places that, by their very presence, remind the viewer of the immensity of holiness in the universe and its potential in their own lives. Creating a mandala is said to be a very powerful and sacred experience.

Think of coloring as a creative quick fix

We all love to create. However, for some of us, painting and/or drawing is not our forte. And for those who enjoy painting and/or drawing, sometimes it’s hard to find the time to start a project. Coloring is the perfect creative quick fix for anyone. It’s time to experiment with color and express your mood with color in a simple, convenient and affordable way.

Coloring together with children can be inspiring. How about inviting a friend or two over for tea and colouring? And for any artist who feels a little exhausted working in their usual medium, why not use colorization as a way to rejuvenate their creativity?

More than just as a stress reliever

Coloring is used in formal therapeutic settings, such as developing hand-eye coordination and to help heal victims of trauma. Regardless of your needs, there’s a lot to be gained by spending some time coloring.