If you are in high school, or college especially, you most likely have stress. Or anxiety. Or both.

For me, I can get stressed out pretty easily and over little things. I also have really bad anxiety because of how much I over think about everything.

Because of this, I am always trying to find things that de-stress me or at least make me forget about those stressful things for a little while. I have found something that really helps me put everything away for a little bit and just relax and feel calm.

That would be art.

I'm not saying I'm good at it. I'm pretty bad actually. But with art, you can literally do anything you want. You can paint for hours or draw for minutes. Either way, it means something personal to you.

I love that I can start with a blank sheet of paper and turn it into anything I want it to be. For me personally, I absolutely love hand lettering and watercolor paint. I have a watercolor pen that makes my handwriting a little better with paint. Making art is so relaxing. Boy, am I relaxed after a good art sesh.

When I am stressed, I am thinking about so many different things all at once and can be overwhelmed. But, if you take a minute to just do some artwork, your brain gets a break. I don't think about anything except what I'm doing with my art and I'm focused on blending colors and making it as pretty as possible. When I'm done, I rarely remember what I was even worried about. That's the beauty of art.

Ever since I started making artwork with my free time and at stressful times, I have decreased my stress, decreased my anxiety and made a lot of really cool artwork to hang in my dorm room.

I'm not saying that you will completely get rid of your stress or anxiety, but for me, art is helping. I know I have something to do instead of worry.

I'm also not saying that is the only thing I do. I know that if I lift up my worries and stress in prayer and give it to the Lord, then he will free me of my worry. But we are human, and we all mess up sometimes. I'm not perfect, and can easily forget that I don't need to be stressed when I can give it to the Lord. On those days I forget or am too worried, I make art.

So next time you are stressing over something in your life, I suggest you take some time to make some art. Because being stressed is way less fun than coloring.

"Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand." - Isaiah 64:8