In this fast-paced world, each of us needs a sanctuary for our soul. It could be a song, a melody, or a form of creative expression. Today, I want to share how music has become the gentlest healer in my life, and how it interweaves with other art forms to make me more relaxed and joyful.
Why Music Works as Your Personal Stress Reliever
Scientific research shows that music can directly influence our emotional states. When we listen to soothing melodies, our brains release dopamine and serotonin—these "happy hormones" effectively relieve stress and improve mood. This is why music therapy is widely used in hospitals, nursing homes, and psychological treatment centers.
But for me, music's impact goes far beyond what these statistics can explain. I'm an absolute music enthusiast—it relaxes me, brings me joy, and affects my emotions like weather does. Every song is like a painting, using sound to depict the colors of emotion.
For example, I particularly love listening to upbeat songs during my morning runs. When the opening notes of "Eye of the Tiger" play, that surge of power hits instantly, helping me push through the final 3 kilometers. During late-night overtime work, I choose Lo-Fi music or instrumental pieces—those gentle beats feel like someone patting my shoulder, telling me "take your time, no rush."
What about you? What type of music do you usually enjoy? Taylor Swift's pop hits, Justin Bieber's classics, or like me, a bit of everything? Regardless of style, what matters is finding the rhythm that makes you feel comfortable.
When Music Meets Visual Art
A serendipitous discovery led me to combine music with visual art. It was a particularly anxious weekend—a week of continuous overtime had pushed me to the breaking point. While scrolling through my phone, I stumbled upon a blogger's video where she converted photos of her pet cat into coloring pages and slowly colored them while listening to Bandari's light music.
Watching that adorable cat transform into simple lines and then come alive again with gradual coloring felt truly healing. That creative process from nothing to something, accompanied by soothing music, was like receiving a spiritual massage.
With a "why not try" attitude, I also used an AI coloring page generator tool to convert photos from last year's concert with friends into coloring pages.
After converting the photos into coloring pages, I discovered something particularly interesting: the originally complex stage lights, excited crowds, and gleaming instruments all became simple lines and outlines. It was like adapting a complex electronic song into a piano solo version—the essential beauty remained, but became purer and easier to grasp.
My Personal Relaxation Formula
Since then, I've developed my own fixed relaxation ritual. Every weeknight, when I feel particularly stressed, I spend an hour doing this: select photos → convert to coloring pages → add music → start coloring.
Through this process, I discovered a secret: different types of photos paired with different music create completely different relaxation effects.
When I want to fully unwind and disconnect, there’s nothing quite like the combination of travel photography and soft music. Recently, I transformed some photos from last year’s trip to Erhai Lake into coloring pages and paired the activity with Ludovico Einaudi’s Nuvole Bianche. As I colored, I felt as though I had returned to that sunny afternoon, the breeze gently brushing against my face, and time itself seemed to slow down. With each stroke—shading the blue waters of the lake and the distant mountain silhouettes—I was able to relive that long-lost sense of freedom and serenity.
When I seek warmth and a sense of companionship, I turn to pet photos and folk music. One of my favorites is a coloring page of my round, orange tabby cat. The image becomes even more heartwarming when accompanied by songs like Ed Sheeran’s Perfect or John Mayer’s Your Body Is a Wonderland. Coloring in those quiet moments feels like telling him a bedtime story. What makes it even more delightful is that he sometimes wanders over to watch me color, tapping at the paper as if to say, “That doesn’t look like me!”
What Benefits You'll Actually See
Deeper musical understanding: I used to listen to songs just for fun, now I feel the emotional layers and details. When listening to Coldplay's "Fix You," I can sense the loneliness of groping in darkness during the intro, the hopeful yearning for light in the chorus, and the unwavering determination in the bridge. Each part has different emotional colors, like a musical scroll unfolding before me.
Dramatically improved patience and focus: I used to be extremely impatient, wanting immediate results from everything. Now, no matter how busy work gets, I don't feel as anxious. Perhaps coloring trained my focus and patience, teaching me to slow down and complete tasks step by step. Colleagues say I've become more reliable.
Enhanced emotional management: This is the biggest gain. When feeling down, I used to either bottle it up or complain on social media—now I've learned to "digest" negative emotions through music and colors. This approach is gentler and more constructive. I discovered that when you can transform emotions into specific colors and lines, they become less frightening.
Significantly improved sleep quality: I used to suffer from frequent insomnia, lying in bed with racing thoughts. Now with musical relaxation habits, especially the bedtime ritual, I fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply and soundly.
Why This Method Works So Well
Multi-sensory stimulation: Music stimulates hearing, coloring stimulates vision and touch—multiple senses being gently stimulated simultaneously can more effectively redirect attention, freeing the brain from stress states.
Activating the parasympathetic nervous system: Soothing music and repetitive coloring motions activate the parasympathetic nervous system—our body's "rest and digest" mode, opposite to the "fight or flight" sympathetic system.
Releasing creative hormones: Creative activities promote brain release of endorphins and dopamine—these natural "happiness molecules" improve mood and reduce stress.
Conclusion: Finding Your Own Slow Time
Modern life moves too fast. We're always chasing deadlines and goals but rarely ask: Am I happy? Am I relaxed?
Music and coloring force me to slow down and focus on now. Moving my pencil to the rhythm, watching lines come alive with color—this creative control beats any other entertainment.
We all need our own ways to relax. Whether it's music, art, or something else entirely, what matters is making time to rest our minds.
If you're tired of life's pace, try this tonight: Pick a happy photo, convert it to a coloring page, play your favorite song, and color slowly. You'll discover a calmer, more patient version of yourself—someone who enjoys the present moment. That might be the most valuable thing in our rushed world.
