The Quiet Garden: A Mindful Coloring Collection ($6.99)
Art and Meditation as Therapy: How The Quiet Garden Coloring Book Started
It all started back in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Everything felt scary. Small businesses were closing left and right. Offices shut down and sent their employees home to figure out remote work.
I was already a freelancer working from home, so my daily routine didn't change much—but the energy did. Everything felt very uncertain. We were all worrying about simple things, like how to buy food without getting sick. What if my clients also shut down their business and end my contract?
That was exactly when I hit my own burnout.
My Canva Journey
The one thing that took my mind off everything going on was Canva. I started playing around with colors, learning design, and creating digital artwork. I called it "my therapy" because it really was therapeutic. I also started printing out coloring pages, and I realized I loved that the most.
For two years, I explored Canva. I took a FREE course on LinkedIn Learning called Graphic Design Tips and Tricks by John McWade and continued exploring different design styles and techniques.
I even started offering graphic design as a service. I wasn't very good at it yet. My designs were pretty basic, but I was enjoying myself. And in a time when everything else felt heavy, having something to take my mind off things was what kept me sane.
Some people went into gardening, some launched food delivery services. Some started ecommerce. I went deep into Canva.
*I received this congratulatory messaged from Canva exactly 4 years ago | February 16, 2022
Meditation as a Way to Let Go
At the same time, I started meditating. I didn't know what it was or how it worked. I just knew I needed more help. I signed up for Mindvalley in July 2022. I learned how to relax, find my center, visualize and just breathe.
All of this is what inspired me to create "The Quiet Garden." I needed something that didn't just distract me, but actually helped me shift my focus from worry to letting go.
How I Use It Now
I have been working online since 2008. I know that burnout can happen easily—especially if you work long hours or get stuck with a client who isn't a joy to work with or if you really just don't like what you are doing.
I’m not in that place right now, but there are still times I badly need to log off and step away from my computer. And this is how I do it.
I go out for walks, read a book, write in my journal, or sing out loud. But my favorite thing to do is just have quiet moments to myself. I would pick a page in my coloring book that matches my mood, and just color.
Here's my favorite out of the 10 coloring pages in the book:
