This Spring, I saw a news report that indicated that coloring books are the latest sales phenomenon in North America. Currently, eight of the twenty best selling books on Amazon are coloring books for adults. Yes, coloring books!

I never liked coloring books as a kid. I wasn’t a “color within the lines” kind of person. I didn’t like the sound crayons made on a piece of paper, and I didn’t like the way they smelled, although I did like melting crayons between wax paper to make interesting designs (an even stranger smell). Go figure.

But I really liked some of the patterns they showed in the report. And, even though I don’t particularly like Crayons, I love markers. If they are fresh enough, they glide across a page and fill easily. And they smell great.

I mentioned this report to my husband and said I thought I might like to try this activity, and he promptly set out to find me some books. It was our anniversary and he was looking for a gift. Initially he bought me Animal Kingdom and Magic Garden which were available, but later he found me the hottest book, Enchanted Forest.  I thought he was being incredibly thoughtful.

Anyway, back to coloring books.

I’ve spent most of the evenings of the summer of 2015 stretched out someplace coloring. The swimming pool at the fitness club. The chair next to my vegetable garden. The nearby coffee shop. On a couch on a screened in porch.

Early on, I started posting my works of art on Facebook.

Now suddenly, EVERYONE I know is into coloring. (I am taking a little, but not all, credit for this).

And whoever isn’t coloring is sharing articles about coloring and mentioning my name in them. Usually this lot has some picture they’ve posted that says, “I’ve decided I no longer wish to be an adult, and I’m going to go hang out in my blanket fort and color”.

I sometimes feel that way myself.

But here’s the truth, coloring truly takes some of the sting out of life, work. And, sometimes I get great ideas for other things while I am in the creative zone.

I try to focus on designs that lend themselves to bright, cheery colors. I like designs that can be filled in in under an hour. I like to feel that sense of accomplishment, and a “ta da”.

I like to “like” other people’s creations. I like to look at what other people choose to color, to get a better picture of who they are and what they like.

By virtue of how many of my fellow colleagues on Facebook are coloring, and sharing I am realizing that lots of other HR Professionals need a little “ta da” in their life too.

So, if you haven’t started coloring, here are a few articles that explain the trend, and might give you some ideas on where to start:

http://www.hrbartender.com/2015/training/5-business-lessons-learned-from-adult-coloring-books/

http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/why-adults-are-buying-coloring-books-for-themselves

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/coloring-benefits-meditation_55b7c9c1e4b0074ba5a6724f

http://nypost.com/2015/07/15/adult-coloring-books-selling-like-crazy/

Honestly, I do like looking at other people’s results, so if you decide to partake, please tweet me your picture at @BonniToronto with the hashtag #adultcoloringbooks.