An Invitation to Color
Quieting the Critical Mind
I set out to discover a new way of writing that bypassed the mundane and celebrated the everyday extraordinary through art journaling. Instead of living under the dark shadow of my critical mind—perhaps you have one, too—I began a new practice: adding a daily one-page coloring before writing a one-page praise poem.
Why coloring? Like many of you, I colored as a child. It offered a carefree joy and the simple pleasure of creating without interference from that inner voice that whispers, “It’s not good enough,” “not detailed enough,” “not pretty enough.”
My art journaling approach didn’t rely on pre-drawn images, as has become popular. I welcomed the blank page as a metaphor for the day. I faced the blank page with courage and curiosity, making choices along the way: What color first? What kind of line? What intensity? What comes next, and how do these colors interact? What is emerging—an abstract, an image, a feeling? Should I add a flourish here, a shadow there? The goal wasn’t to produce a perfect picture, but to embrace the process. In this way, coloring became a metaphor for life itself: consider your choices, make a move, stay curious, see what unfolds. With no expectations, coloring invites freedom to risk and to listen to the quiet language of color moving from crayon to page.
When the coloring on the right-hand side is complete, usually within ten minutes, I turn to the left-hand page and begin to write. There’s no plan, no thesis, no outline. I might draw inspiration from the morning reading or a Tarot card. Sometimes I wait for a word or phrase to appear, or I’ll write a random first word. It might be blueberries, black bear, firetruck, fear, lungs, lunge, or Renaissance.” The word is a start to the first line of the poem and the spark for what comes next. With the critical mind on break, something always does.
In this way, the practice becomes more than an act of artmaking or art journaling. It becomes an exercise in trust, a daily morning dialogue between color, word, and wonder.
Trust the process. Stay flexible.
Embrace surprise and change.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Be ready to be surprised by the best!
Getting Started
For years, I kept a journal. Most entries revolved around who I saw, what I did, or how I felt, especially about work stress or challenging relationships. I reflected. I vented. I weighed pros and cons.
But as we approached the turn of the century to begin 2000, I began asking deeper questions. What could I do, starting now, to invite more spontaneity, joy and gratitude into my daily life? How could I become more aware of everyday blessings and more intentional about being grateful?
At the time, I was reading mystical Persian poets like Rumi (1207-1273) and Hafiz (1320-1389). I was drawn to the clarity and brevity of their work. One Hafiz poem, “Let’s Eat,” stuck with me.
The poem was direct, joyful, and spiritually nourishing. From that point on, coloring and writing praise poems became a daily, Monday-Friday practice of spontaneous creative play. The rewards have been profound. Where I once leaned toward stress, anxiety, or fear of making mistakes, I now approach both writing and life with an easier confidence grounded in one guiding principle: This is an experiment. It’s all Go*d!
Discover the Simply Go*d Series
Praise Poems Celebrating the Divine in Daily Life
Praise Poems & Colorings for Everyday Mindfulness
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Poet, teacher, gardener, and civic activist. Susan invites readers into a journey of presence and reflection.
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