Scribble, Colour, Trace: 3 Stress-Relief Exercises That Work

When life feels overwhelming, creativity can be a gentle way to pause and reset. You don’t need fancy supplies or hours of free time—just a few minutes and a willingness to experiment.

This week, we explored three simple exercises to help you slow down, express emotions, and release stress. Each one taps into a different creative process, and you might be surprised by how quickly they shift your mindset.

So, grab a pen, some paper, and take a moment for yourself.

Trace These Shapes for 5 Minutes & Feel the Stress Melt Away

Ever feel like your mind is racing? Sometimes, slowing down your hands can help slow down your thoughts.

One of the easiest ways to do this is by tracing simple shapes. The repetitive motion brings focus, calms the nervous system, and invites mindfulness without effort.

Try this:

• Take a pen and a piece of paper.
• Slowly trace basic shapes—circles, squares, waves—without rushing.
• Pay attention to how your hand moves, how your breath changes, and how your body feels.

When you’re done, take a look at your lines. Did this small act of focus help you feel more present?

The Colour Therapy Trick That Can Shift Your Emotions Fast

Colours have a way of reflecting how we feel—sometimes, they even have the power to shift our emotions.

This simple colour therapy exercise helps you connect with your mood and explore it visually. You might be surprised by what your colour choices reveal.

Try this:

• Pick a colour that matches your mood. Don’t overthink it—just grab what feels right.
• Fill a page with lines, patterns, or blocks of that colour.
• Notice if you’re drawn to a different shade or if the colour itself influences your emotions.

What did this process reveal about how you’re feeling today?

The Scribble Technique: How to Release Stress in Seconds

Feeling tense? Scribbling can be a fast and freeing way to release stress. No rules, no pressure—just movement.

This exercise is all about letting your hand move instinctively. The marks you make might surprise you.

Try this:

• Grab a pen or pencil and start scribbling—fast, slow, light, heavy.
• Don’t control it. Just move.
• When you stop, take a breath and look at what you created.

Do the marks on the page reflect how you feel? Did anything shift in your body or mind? Sometimes, putting energy on paper is all it takes to feel a little lighter.

Which One Spoke to You?

Each of these exercises offers a different way to process emotions, clear mental clutter, and bring a little creativity into your day. Some people find comfort in the structure of tracing shapes, while others enjoy the emotional release of scribbling or colouring.

There’s no right or wrong way to do this—just a chance to experiment and see what works for you.

Want more simple creative practices like these?

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Try one of these exercises today, and let me know—which one felt most helpful for you?