Paint a Picture in Your Mind…and on Paper

Whether you are a professional artist or draw like…well me (see above), here is a great idea to use when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed and need to go to a happier place.

Begin by thinking of a place where you feel comfortable, relaxed, safe and at ease. It can be inside or outside, a room in your home or a park, a beach or a mountain. It can be a place you have visited, seen a picture of, or invented in your mind. Any place you think of that is comfortable for you is fine. Once you have a place in mind, close your eyes and vividly imagine it for the next several minutes, paying attention to…

  • What you see - look around that place and notice everything - objects, people, colors…

  • What you hear - waves against the sand, birds singing, people laughing…

  • What you feel - both physically (wind blowing against your face, sand between your toes…) and emotionally (calm, peace, happiness, joy…)

  • What you smell (flowers, cookies baking in the oven…)

  • What you taste (cool water from a brook, your favorite flavor of ice cream…)

After several minutes of imaging that place, open your eyes, pull out a sheet of paper and draw that place using colored pencils, markers, or crayons.

Once you have this picture, hang it up in your bedroom or keep it somewhere that will allow you to see it frequently. Use this picture as a reminder that when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, you can close your eyes and go back to this place - imagining all the details about it, what you see, hear, feel, taste and smell. This will help to bring you to a more calm and peaceful state of mind.

Want to learn more?

Interested in wellness education for the members of your company or organization? Contact us today to learn about the variety of programs we offer – from webinars, to workshops, to 4-, 6- or 9-week courses.

Tom Klisiewiczsmart-monthly