Music Coloring Page from Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal

Hi friends! Since Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal officially launches a month from tomorrow, I decided to start sharing some of the coloring pages on the blog, twice a week, until then.

I was thrilled to once again work with the talented Rose Hwang, the illustrator for Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal, and her work this time is just as beautiful.

Each page depicts one simple thing we can do to help ease anxiety.

Today’s tip: listen to calming music.

Music can be so transformative. The right song can instantly transport you to a different time, remind you of someone or somewhere you love, or communicate everything you’re feeling but can’t put into words.

It can simultaneously calm your mind, heal your heart, and lift your spirits.

And it’s the ultimate tool for mindfulness. It’s hard to dwell on the past or worry about the future when you’re lost in a melody, eyes closed, the beat reverberating deep in your chest, the lyrics drowning out the repetitive thoughts in your head.

There have even been studies to show how healing music can be—it can boost brain activity and the mood enhancing chemical serotonin, lower blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol, and slow our heart rate, creating an overall calming effect.

I know I always feel more centered and at ease when I take even just a few minutes to listen to my “peace playlist,” which includes:

-A selection of movie theme songs (far too many to list!)

-Musical soundtracks, some of the newest of which include The Greatest Showman and La La Land (specifically: A Million Dreams and Here’s to the Ones Who Dream)

-Songs from Bob Marley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Coldplay, The Lumineers, The Fray, Augustana, David Gray, Ben Folds, Gary Jules, Josh Ritter, and Ray LaMontagne, to name some of my favorites

What are some of the songs that calm your mind? Which songs help you relax and unwind after a long, stressful day? Feel free to share an album name, a song title, or a link. You never know whose day you could brighten by sharing your playlist for peace.

—

From now until June 26th, you’ll get three bonus gifts, including a guided meditation series on letting go, when you pre-order Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal. All you need to do is order a copy here and forward your purchase confirmation email to worryjournal@tinybuddha.com