I don’t know about you, but I spend most of January stumbling through a gloomy funk. Somehow the daily grind gets much murkier when the snow on the ground is brown and the snow in the air is coming in sideways. Simple tasks that took an hour in September, can consume an entire day in January. The workload remains the same and yet I constantly feel overwhelmed. Why?
If someone has the answer, please share, because I would really like to know.
Well, I’ll tell you , the one thing I do know is that a lot of Creative Types struggle with this same issue, so I thought I would share one of my favorite rituals for combating creative funk: coloring.
Yes, coloring. As in crayons. Seriously, try it.
Look, it’s not going to replace Zoloft, but honestly, it can help. I’m not sure if it’s the smell of the wax or the rhythmic movements of moving the crayon across the page, but there is something about the act of coloring that clears my mind and puts me at ease. On days like today, when I am feeling especially dreary and overwhelmed, I rely on simple rituals like coloring to get me through the day. I cannot praise it enough.
If you have kids then you probably already have supplies on hand, but if you are living munchkin-free, go down to the corner store and pick up a box of crayons! They cost about the same as a candy bar and can do a lot more good than you ever imagined.
And, for those who are too old for coloring books, there is good news: you can make your own custom coloring pages! Simply upload your digital photo to Crayola’s free and nifty online tool, or follow these Photoshop directions. You are two clicks and a jiffy away from super keen coloring pages. Huzzah!