It’s sunny, there are snowdrops in my garden and I feel all spring like! So I thought we’d do a bit of colour therapy together. It’s February and although spring feels close, we need colour and we need it now. So, here are 5 colourful ways to bring joy into your day.
Buy Cut Flowers Or Potted Bulbs
Don’t wait for cupid to deliver your colour on Valentine’s Day (roses are a bit naff anyway). Buy spring flowers that actually thrive at this time of year and fill your home with the scent of new life and hope.
As we re-emerge into a growth period our bodies enjoy new spring energy and it’s wonderful to reinforce this with the right colours and smells. Here are some spring faves….
- White narcissi bulbs are elegant, simple and will last a few weeks
- Yellow daffodils, available in most supermarkets this month
- Sweet scented freesias will give out a beautiful perfume
- Hyacinth bulbs take their time to emerge but last for ages
Look after your flowers with love. Magically transport yourself to summer by closing your eyes and smelling them every day.
Colouring In
I know you’re not 5 but that doesn’t mean you left all your childishness behind. I haven’t! There are a tonne of ‘colouring in for adults’ books out there, which are super therapeutic.
Even if you only colour in for 10 minutes you can pull your mind back to an even keel. It sounds mindless but if you do it right it can be incredibly mindful. Here are 3 colouring books to try.
World of Flowers: A Colouring Book and Floral Adventure
A Swear Word Coloring Book for Adults: Sweary AF: Fckity Fck Fck Fck
Here’s how to get the most joy out of colouring…
- Use bright colours
- Choose designs which make you feel happy when you look at them
- Allow yourself to be fully absorbed in the activity
- Breathe deeply as you begin and then maintain an even in and out breath
- Do it in a quiet, comfortable space with no distractions
- Give yourself the full 10 minutes or how ever long you want
Start A Bullet Journal
You know how I feel about life journals if you read ‘6 ways life journals make you unhappy’. But Bullet Journals are different because they are entirely created by you.
You can read this book about bullet journals or just look on Pinterest for inspiration. Here’s Voice of Calm’s board on Pinterest.
How to Bullet Journal….
- Buy a blank journal with dotted or square paper on it
- Use the grid to format your drawings, lists and charts
- Get on Pinterest and search bullet journal for inspiration
- Pick the areas you want to log: habits, emotions, achievement
- Get colourful – your bullet journal is your happy, creative place
Dress Yourself In Joy
I actually prefer my winter wardrobe because I am naturally a grey and black lover. However, I was once told by an empath that I need to wear brighter colours to counter my naturally dark nature. Thanks, I think.
There’s loads of research in this area and without boring you with endless stats, suffice it to say, wearing bright, light colours can improve your mood and overall outlook. Think pink, yellow, pastels and white – the colours of spring.
Give it a a try!
Painting And Drawing Apps
There are some great apps for this stuff. I do loads of artwork on my iPad using Procreate. Oh look, here’s one I made earlier….
You can get Procreate on the App Store and make simple drawings like the one I did above or get into some real masterpieces. Sandbox is another colouring app which is very popular.
Note: Most ‘colouring in’ apps are free to download but then have virtually no free designs to colour in, so the in-app purchases get expensive! I recommend sticking to the analogue versions I have recommended.
If you have some colourful tips for bringing Spring and joy into the day then let me know. We can all use a bright idea to help us through February!
Please, leave a comment…