Exercises To Calm Your Anxious Thoughts
Exercises to Calm Your Anxious Thoughts: Art Therapy Techniques to Find Peace
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed. Our minds are constantly racing, with thoughts bouncing from one worry to the next. Anxiety can take on many forms, whether it's general stress, overwhelming emotions, or a specific fear or concern that lingers. But did you know that art, in its many forms, can be a powerful tool in helping to soothe and manage anxiety?
Art Therapy has long been known to help individuals express complex feelings, quiet their minds, and reconnect with the present moment. Whether you’re someone who considers themselves a “non-artist” or an experienced creator, the beauty of art therapy is that it’s not about creating a masterpiece—it’s about the process of self-expression, relaxation, and healing.
Here are a few art therapy exercises that can help calm your anxious thoughts and create space for peace:
1. The Breathing Mandala
A mandala is a geometric figure that represents the universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism. Creating one can be incredibly grounding, especially when paired with deep breathing. This exercise helps you focus on the present moment and align your breath with your drawing.
How to do it:
Start by drawing a small circle in the center of your page.
Slowly add patterns or shapes radiating out from the center. You can make them symmetrical or freeform.
As you draw each pattern, take a deep breath in through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly through your mouth.
Focus on the rhythm of your breath and the motion of your hand. The repetitive action can help soothe your mind and reduce anxiety.
This simple yet powerful exercise helps center your mind and promotes calmness.
2. Colouring for Calmness
Coloring might seem like a child’s pastime, but it can be a very meditative process. Using colors to express your feelings or simply to relax can be surprisingly therapeutic. Studies have shown that coloring can lower heart rate and stress levels, as it encourages mindfulness and slows down the mind.
How to do it:
Find a coloring book or print out an intricate coloring page (you can even download mandalas or nature scenes online).
Choose colors that speak to you in the moment. Maybe you feel drawn to calming blues or energizing yellows.
As you color, let your thoughts come and go. Focus on the patterns and the feel of the colors on the paper.
If your mind starts to wander to anxious thoughts, gently bring it back to the process of coloring and focus on the soothing nature of it.
This exercise can help slow down the “chatter” in your mind and ease your anxiety.
3. Free-Flowing Painting
Free-flowing painting allows you to express your emotions without any constraints. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. The goal is to let go of control and allow your emotions to be expressed through color and form. It’s a perfect exercise for releasing bottled-up emotions or calming down intense anxiety.
How to do it:
Choose any medium you feel comfortable with—watercolors, acrylics, or even just markers or crayons.
Set an intention: Before you start, think about what’s on your mind. Are you feeling anxious? Stressed? Sad? Let that emotion guide your process.
As you paint, try to avoid any judgment. Just let the colors, shapes, and strokes flow freely onto the page.
Pay attention to how your body feels as you paint. Are you holding your breath? Are you tense? Try to let go of any physical tension as you allow your hand to move naturally across the page.
By releasing control and focusing on the act of creation, you create a safe space for your emotions to surface and begin to calm.
4. The Grounding Collage
Collages can be a wonderful way to “ground” your anxious mind by taking things that feel disconnected or scattered and turning them into a cohesive whole. When you make a collage, you're bringing together various images, textures, and materials in a way that can make you feel more centered.
How to do it:
Gather magazines, old newspapers, photographs, or any other materials you can cut up and glue together.
Take a moment to reflect on your anxiety. What does it feel like? Is it chaotic or fragmented? Are there images or words that resonate with that feeling?
Begin cutting out pieces that reflect how you’re feeling, and then arrange them on a sheet of paper. Don’t worry about it making sense or being perfect—just let the pieces come together naturally.
As you create your collage, notice how it feels. Does it help organize or soothe the anxious parts of your mind?
By visually piecing together different fragments, you may experience a sense of control over the chaos and find comfort in the process.
5. Clay Therapy
Working with clay, whether it’s molding, kneading, or shaping it, is an incredibly tactile experience. The act of using your hands to form something can be deeply therapeutic and soothing, especially if you’re experiencing physical tension or anxiety.
How to do it:
You don’t need to be a sculptor to work with clay. Start with a small lump of clay or modeling dough.
Begin by simply rolling, squishing, or shaping the clay in your hands. Focus on the texture and feel of it. The sensation of molding the material can be meditative.
Allow yourself to create something without worrying about what it looks like—whether it’s a simple ball, a figure, or just a mass of clay.
If you feel inspired, you can form shapes that represent your anxiety and then physically transform them into something more comforting or manageable.
The tactile act of manipulating clay can be incredibly grounding, helping to bring your focus away from racing thoughts and into the present moment.
6. Nature Drawing or Painting
Nature has a natural calming effect on our minds, and bringing that element into your art can be incredibly soothing. Drawing or painting a landscape, plant, or animal can help you reconnect with the natural world and take your focus off of your anxious thoughts.
How to do it:
Find a quiet spot in nature—whether it’s a park, your backyard, or even looking out of your window.
Choose something in nature that catches your attention. It could be a tree, a flower, or a bird flying by.
Begin sketching or painting the scene in front of you. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Just focus on the process of observing and capturing the beauty of the natural world.
Let yourself be immersed in the details, the colors, and the textures around you.
Drawing from nature can help bring your mind back to the present moment, reducing anxiety by focusing on the beauty of your surroundings.
Conclusion:
Art therapy offers a variety of ways to calm anxious thoughts and cultivate a sense of peace. Whether through mindful coloring, creating a mandala, or free-flowing painting, these exercises allow you to channel your emotions into a physical form, bringing clarity and relaxation to your mind.
Remember, the process is more important than the outcome. Art therapy is about self-expression, and the act of creating itself can be profoundly healing. So, the next time you feel overwhelmed or anxious, try reaching for a pencil, paintbrush, or clay and see how it helps you find balance and peace within yourself.
Want to Learn More?
If you’re curious about how Art Therapy can help manage anxiety or other emotional challenges, reach out for a personalized session. Together, we’ll explore your unique needs and find creative ways to bring healing through art. Please do contact via the contacts section on this website or email on auraarttherapy@gmail.com or arrange your free discovery call.
