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 Hey blog readers! My name is Callie Cole, I am 23 years old and a senior at the University of West Georgia. This semester I am taking a course regarding the mind and body and how they relate to each other as well as the study of psychology! By the title of the blog, you most likely have a pretty good idea of what I will be discussing in my blog posts, but just in case there is a need for any clarification; throughout my blog posts, I will be taking you guys along with me as I learn how to unwind and relax my mind by using an adult coloring book. This is something that I have been wanting to try for a while and now I have the perfect opportunity!  Last night I was able to go on amazon and ordered an extremely cute coloring book that catered to adults relieving stress (exactly what I was looking for!) and a reasonably priced pack of markers with a wide variety of colors to choose from. 

Although coloring books may seem childish and provide no purpose other than entertainment, that is completely false. Even as a child, adults will encourage their children to use coloring books as a way to express themselves and control their emotions in a non-harmful way. As adults, we ourselves may still struggle with that same issue which may lead to unhealthy alternative ways to relieve our stress. In an online article that I was reading, https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/benefits-coloring-adults , it explained to use even more benefits that related very closely to the materials we will be discussing in class! For example, coloring can induce a meditative state, this means taking a mental break from all past, current, and future worries. How great is that!? Other benefits that I gathered from their article were: improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and an improvement of one’s motor skills.  

From previous experience, I am 100% aware that I do not have the most creative brain and artistic personality, so although this is slightly out of my comfort zone, I believe that the use of an adult coloring book is the perfect start into having a more creative mind. Being able to connect my mind and thought to motor functions produced by the body is the main point of the course I am taking, and I would love to be able to explore those possibilities as well as being able to dive deeper into my creative side. 

To sum up my first blog post, I would like to give a little more insight into what I plan on doing with my blog. As of right now, my goal is to spend 30 minutes a day fully dedicated to my coloring book. During that time my phone and all electronics will be disconnected, with the exception of a calming soundtrack in the background. I will then spend 10-15 minutes journaling my thoughts and how I feel once I am finished. Another idea that I have is to try and color at different locations and times of the day and see if that influences my focus and feelings.  

Thank you so much for reading and giving me the opportunity to try something new! Side note: please bear with me as I will upload more pictures and content as my materials arrive!  

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