The Best Way to Relax: Play With Crayons!
Posted by Heather Taskovics · 6 Comments
My daughter loves to play with crayons. She’ll grab the box and hold it closely to herself as though it contained the treasures of the world. In fact, once she has her box of crayons, she refuses to part with it and carries it around like one of her favorite dolls!
And every time we break out the box of crayons and paper, my beloved toddler cries out, “Draw moon, Mama!” It seems that I am the only person on this planet who is capable of creating the moon for her–and in all the colors of the rainbow!
In addition to the multitude sketches of dear Sister Moon, my little art aficionado has witnessed a variety of artistic renderings of Santa Claus, Christmas trees, birds, bears, dogs, cats, flowers, boats, cars, clouds, hearts, circles, squares and “polkie dots”.
Why am I telling you all this? This is why: while I have been satisfying my daughter’s need to see “Mama” draw the moon, I found that all the senses of a child started to come back to me: the excitement of opening that brand-new box of crayons, flipping open the pages of a coloring book or a sketch pad to see what masterpieces could be made of them. And you know what? In addition to enjoying the valuable time I was spending with my daughter, I was having fun with the creative opportunity that I hadn’t had in a very long time and became more relaxed in the process.
So next time you’re feeling tense or stressed, grab a few pieces of paper and a box of crayons and just have at it. If you are not sure what to do, just start by drawing circles and squiggles–perhaps a few zig-zag lines, too. As you draw, just lose yourself in it–don’t think about anything that has been going on in your life: cleaning house, projects that need completion, paying the bills…absolutely nothing.
Obviously, when you first start doing this, all the thoughts you could ever have will start to creep in. No worries…it’s perfectly normal. Just acknowledge them for what they are and let them float by. Eventually, the more you do this exercise, the easier it will get to color your cares away.
Please keep in mind this is in no way meant to be a cure-all for what ails you, nor is it meant to be used as a means to escape from reality–although brief periods of escapism in moderation are perfectly fine. 
This coloring exercise should be used to help keep your sanity in check and enable you to deal with less than perfect situations.
This can also be a great exercise to help boost your creativity when trying to come with ideas to help build your business. If you feel like you are stuck in a rut, just stop and break out the crayons, colored pencils, markers, finger paints or what have you. Heck, you could even open up a can of Play Dough and meditatively mold something together…or just squish it in your hands for a while until you either feel calm or an idea pops into your head that will turn your business into a skyrocketing success!
You’ll find that even the most mundane of drawing activities can turn into more creative ideas: a purple horse with green polka dots, a hot air balloon that can magically transport you to anywhere you can imagine, or maybe even a grand mansion painted in every color you can think of with an infinite number of rooms. It is all up to you.
Who knows? You may find your long-lost inner child coming back to play. Just make sure you get the tea set and dress up clothes ready…
Namaste,
BTW – If you like what you’ve read, feel free to sign up for my blogs and leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you! Thx!
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For me its Legos. I used to love Legos when I was a kid, and now my son is really in to them. Turns out, I still love Legos! And I do grab the crayons when we go out to eat, and he and I draw or play tic-tac-toe.
It is interesting how going back to something you used to do in childhood really brings back the memories and dreams that you had as a kid. Playing with Legos immediately takes me back to when I was a kid, when I was in that same process of creating with those little plastic blocks. I remember the things I built, the TV shows I used to watch, the house I grew up in, the dreams I had… All of a sudden I can see how my life has followed the path I originally dreamed it would, and how it has also deviated in many ways. Sometimes these deviations are good, and sometimes they bring a pang of sadness for desires never attained.
Kids tell us, though, that there is always time to fulfill your dreams. You just have to keep playing!
Thanks for your post, Heather.
.-= Jason Kerchner´s last blog ..The Myth of Free Leads Using Social Media =-.
Hi Heather,
I really loved reading your post. As a mother of nearly 4 year old twin girls I really appreciated the tip of getting out some crayons….
I find with little kids around one has no choice but to loosen up:) as Terry put is so rightly..
All the best to you
Adriane
Hi Heather, thank you for the nudge to unplug and loosen up. All too often we (I) get caught up to striving for excellence and wanting to achieve. Your post reminded me to stop…and think of my blessings and to be grateful for everything that I have.
It also made me stop and think about all the beautiful things in my world.
So thank you for the breath of fresh air… I gotta go…and find my crayons.
You have a choice so, make it a better than terrific day!
Terry
Heather,
I grew up with a mom who was an artist… we always were drawing and sketching. I loved those times together; great memories! I’m also a first grade teacher and know that the times we set aside to draw and share are powerful times for learning about each other. Thanks for your great insights and ideas!