Play and Creativity

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yTkzp5gTE Art Noveau Coloring Pagescolour-pencils-450621_640 via pixabay

I have always liked coloring and playing with colors since I was a little girl. A way of bringing joy into our lives is doing things that we love. I recently used an Amazon gift card to buy myself two adult coloring books and a box of professional colored pencils. Amazon has a large selection of beautiful coloring books. You don’t have to be good at drawing because the pictures are already made. You get to color them however you chose. One of them I chose has Art Nouveau designs.

It is good to get into an activity that you enjoy and gets you into a relaxed, “flow” state.  Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who developed the concept and  defines the flow state as ” an almost euphoric state of concentration and complete involvement. ” This is good for stress relief, and we all have to have some relaxation and happiness in our lives every day.

There are so many demands for our attention. It can feel like we are pretty scattered and pulled in all different directions. We need to be sure to schedule activities that connect us with ourselves and help focus our attention back to what speaks to us.

A creative activity that is enjoyable for you can add some happiness and relaxation to your day. It is a form of play. Do you make time in your day for some creative play? What do you do that gets you into the flow?

21 thoughts on “Play and Creativity”

    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      That is called synchronicity 🙂 Yes, I never realized how many beautiful coloring books are now available for adults or even young people who want to color something a bit more challenging or artistic. I did get one that is a bit more challenging called, ” Secret Garden.” Some of the pages are pretty intricate and it has blank parts where you are invited to add your own drawings. I don’t think I am at that level yet. I just love practically anything that says “secret garden.” I read the book ” Secret Garden” and since I love mysteries too, I loved the book. The idea of a secret garden that the little girl discovers on an English estate…

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      1. Dan Antion

        “Secret Garden” is one of the books they were talking about. They were interviewing the author. If you want to hear the interview, they are usually available the next day as s podcast.

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      2. Deborah Drucker Post author

        Synchronicity again 🙂 I did notice when I ordered that book that it was very popular. Her drawings are very intricate and she hides things in the pictures to make it more fun. She does fanciful nature and garden scenes. Thanks for the info about the podcast.

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  3. Kat

    Funny you should mention adult coloring books because this is the third time this topic has come up in the past few days. I always loved coloring when I was growing up. I might have to try this. ( And you have piqued my curiosity of the
    Art Nouveau book because I love that idea!) I’m still toying around with the idea of trying my hand at piano again. It was always so relaxing for me to play growing up but I’m so rusty it might be more challenging than I would like.

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    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      Well if it is the third time the topic came up maybe you should pay attention to the message. I took piano lessons when I was a girl but then I stopped. I took it up again in college for one class. A lot comes back to you. You know how what they say about riding a bicycle. I stopped playing after that but I encourage you to take it up for sure if you enjoy it. 🙂

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      1. Kat

        I’m definitely looking into getting myself an adult coloring book! 🙂

        As for the piano, I need to get a piano first! I’m considering asking a good friend if I can use the one in his backroom when no one is around. At least until I can see if it comes back.

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  4. Prajakta

    Oh! Just a few months back, I did the same Coloring is relaxing and enjoyable; also very personal. Why is it thought of as a kiddy activity is beyond me. It helps me in structuring my thoughts and boost the visualisation process.
    Oh. And I refused to share my book with my ten year old nephew. He took it badly.

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  5. LifestyleswithLia

    I read his book “Finding Flow” in college and it stayed with me…. When I write, everything stands still and even though the hours pass, I don’t notice until I’m done. The same goes for salsa dancing. When I’m on the dance floor, I’m in the flow without a care in the world!! Thanks for posting this… It reminds me to get out there more!!!
    Cheers!!

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  7. NotAPunkRocker

    At my desk I have a box of crayons, colored pencils, a crossword puzzle book and assorted “toys” (slinky, Lego person) to fiddle with as I work through a problem or long project. This reminds me that I did want to check out the adult art coloring books; M suggested I get the color by numbers one and then not follow the key (he knows me too well!) 🙂

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    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      Glad to hear you have all the creative and play materials. It does help us focus. With the coloring books the design is already printed so you color it in any way you like. Don’t have to draw. And the colors you choose are your business. Just for you. Nobody else has to judge it. 🙂

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