Feelings are like our internal compass and labeling them is a first step in building emotional intelligence. As we begin to open up our awareness to the vast array of emotions we as humans are capable of feeling, we begin to reduce physiological distress, heal conflicts, make decisions confidently and move through stress more freely. Connecting color to moods makes them easier to identify.

At first it’s a bit tricky to identify how we feel, let alone consider the role it plays in our daily lives. The activities below are designed to help you do just that; reflect on your day, acknowledge how you felt, connect the feelings to color (which is already charged with emotion), then actively process that connection through your innate creativity on paper. Our goal is to eventually become familiar with our unique feelings, which will lead to a more fulfilling and elevated life.

monthly therapeutic activity

At the end of the month, block out a few hours to activate the flow state of mind. The therapeutic activity below is a natural flow-inducer that helps shut out the noise of our busy thoughts and allow space for intuition to come to the surface. Fresh ideas, solutions to nagging quandaries, or feelings of peace or freedom have been known to arise.

Suggested Materials: sketchbook + preferred artistic tool (best if it’s the same one you used in your evening rituals)
Set your space: have your calendar grid handy and 2-3 hours to dive deeply into mindfulness reflection. Playing music that resonates with you is suggested.

1. Close your eyes and reflect on the days of the past month. Zoom out in your mind’s eye and identify the overall moods you experienced day to day. Take a couple deep breaths to calm your nervous system.

2. Referring to the calendar grid you made for your evening ritual, look over the colors that showed up throughout each week.

3. Find a page in your sketchbook or a piece of preferred art paper and gather your chosen color medium.

4. Start to apply your medium to the page in connection to how it showed up this month. For example, if more days showed red, red should be the prominent color of this art piece. Continue to apply color in whatever shapes or patterns feel right for you.

5. Observe your finished art piece and reflect on how it represents your emotional state over the past month. Do you see the same energy on the page that you felt over the past few weeks? Will you title your piece?

   It’s always enlightening to jot down your reflections in your journal once you’ve finished the activity.

Laina Miller is an artist and Social Emotional Arts Instructor. She is not a clinically certified Art Therapist. All viewpoints, activities, and insights expressed were generated from personal and professional experience and bolstered by favorite readings, teachers, and mentors. The aforementioned have been cited wherever possible. For additional support, please reach out to a trusted mental health advisor.

Some of the links above are affiliates, which means Laina Miller will make a small commission if you purchase. All products have been authentically chosen with your amusement, education, and enlightenment in mind. The affiliate opportunity is always secondary.