Coloring books take the stress out of being a "grown-up"
\"It's a sense of peace but there's really no thought, it's really so calming. It's like a blank canvas, and you're just into it.\"
Remember when the hardest decision of the day was butterflies or flowers?
Allegra Wall knows the feeling all too well. \"I'll kind of flip through and say all there's a butterfly, I want to color that.\"
Grown-ups are ripping a page out of childhood, turning to a unlikely pastime to let go of pent up emotion. Adult coloring books.
\"I don't know why it works, I don't know if it's a throwback to childhood and it just removes stress. I don't know if it's the intricate details that make it peaceful,\" Wall said.
Creative arts psychotherapist Cheryl Ray says the unplugging from daily life appeals to our inner being.
\"When you're doing something that you're enjoying, you just drop into your body so you can use your gut and your heart a little bit more and you get more balance,\" Ray said.
The adult-themed books feature more intricate designs, flowers and shapes. Ray says it's less about design and more about reaching a place of Zen.
\"You're so in the moment. Your head is not looking to the past, to the future. It's just now.\"
Line by line, each colorful stroke takes allegra back. Who knew children had all the answers
\"I think it's like therapy in a book. I think the world would be a better place if everybody colored.\"
If you want to get back in touch with your youth, the books are easy to find and cheap. Check out Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.