When I collected all the documents for my tax filing, I also came across my coloring book for adults, the “Enchanted Forest”, which you might have heard of. I had bought it together with a set of brush markers last year, but never really used it. I know why I laid it aside: I found it really hard to color even the first picture. I couldn’t decide which colors to take, wanted the items to resemble reality as much as possible, and just didn’t reach any decision which colors a gargoyle has. Today though I reached for the pens and started coloring while contemplating something important. As my thoughts became clearer and more structured, I also realized that coloring pictures is a kind of meditation. As soon as I didn’t think too much about which color to take, I automatically chose a suitable one. In an enchanted forest leaves might just as well be blue or purple, and gargoyles multicolored. My verdict is that I tend to become much more creative when I go with my gut (or the coloring flow). I enjoyed the coloring part so much, that I finished two and half pages today. Also I sort my thoughts out.

I have the feeling that coloring resembles putting an outfit together resembles making decisions. Very often it is so much easier to go for black and white because it makes us feel safe. It is classic, it is grown-up, you can mix patterns, but you don’t take any risk. Like the outfit in this post. I am kind of glad that my shoes are silver because it shows that there is some slightly other shade of grey there.

Don’t get me wrong – from time to time it is great to wear black and white, to feel safe; to arrange thoughts according to clear categories, to reach an unequivocal stand. But often it is more important to understand all the shades in between, to play with colors, to rely on your instinct, to be creative. Because maybe I am this multicolored creature in an enchanted world. Just in case I will try and wear something very colorful tomorrow.

leather jacket: Mango (old)
sweater: Tommy Hilfiger
pants: American Eagle
handbag: Liebeskind

© janavar

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