Hi Friend! My name is Ashley Greer. I am a passionate artist, painter, muralist, artrepreneur. My journey as a creator started way early in my life. Drawing and painting colorful animals, landscapes and scenes began in elementary school. As a very shy little girl, I found a voice in art. I loved it because painting gave an opportunity to express my inner, deepest self without having to say a word. It also paved the path to creating a world that did not even exist on the physical realm. I realized art was the golden ticket to life and freedom, a world of my own that I could share with my dearest loved ones.

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Art, I believe, is the healer of all. Without art, who would you be? What would the world look like? It would be a bland and boring world of grey shades struggling to take the slightest breath. Without color, we'd never see the cosmic dance of nature or warmth of a family get-together bonfire. It's simple. Without art, life would not exist. And if it did, we'd just be a bunch of gloomy, calculated robots. But where's the life in that anyway?

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Now, I bet you're wondering "Why are you giving away your art for free? Didn't you spend hundreds of hours on this? Just to release it into the universe for no monetary value? Isn't that a crime in the art world?". Those are all great questions. Let me explain to you my purpose and vision for this coloring book.

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First, I'd love to give you a back story as to why I'm on a mission to help people struggling with anxiety and distress. Anxiety disorder is one of the MOST common mental illnesses in the whole entire world. It affects 40 million adults in the United States alone..that's about 20% of population every year. Out of 40 million people, only 37% of those suffering receive treatment. People with anxiety disorder are 6x more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer. On top of that, it's not uncommon for someone with anxiety disorder to also suffer from depression. Nearly 50% of those diagnosed with depression are..you guessed it..diagnosed with anxiety disorder.

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I knew this was a problem, an immovable mountain to many. I never took a huge step to help the people suffering (other than a comforting, warm hug and words of optimism). I realized, it takes more than that to put an end to anxiety and I have way more to give. My journey to help started when I met the love of my life. As someone struggling with anxiety, she opened my eyes to the magnitude of the situation and how it affects every part of your life. A fire lit inside me to save her from the automatic dysfunctional thinking that perpetuates her anxiety and depression. I thought to myself "What is an entirely non-invasive holistic treatment which aims to bring balance to the energy of the body? What skills do I have to potentially heal this? ......*lightbulb* "COLORING!".

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I set sail, collecting all the paintings I created over the years (focusing on all animal paintings). Then, I used my graphic design background to create coloring pages of each animal using the Adobe Illustrator pen tool. Staying in tune with the primary focus to help her, birthed "Animal Friends Anxiety Relief Coloring Book" with record speed. Before I knew it, I created a tool that could potentially help a mass group of people.

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Coloring takes attention away from yourself (all those things stressing you out) and redirects it onto the present moment. When your thoughts are focused on coloring, your brain tends to relax and all the difficulties of life evaporate. The act of coloring requires repetition and attention to detail, so you are able to focus on a simple activity, rather than your worries. Coloring also brings out your inner child. Remember when life was simple and our biggest worry was catching our favorite cartoon show on Saturday morning? Yeah, I do too! What a beautiful moment to rediscover.

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"Animal Friends Anxiety Relief Coloring Book" is a short and sweet pdf book made with passion and a deep, meaningful intention to help. To relax the fear center of the brain and induce the same state as meditating by reducing the thoughts of a restless mind.

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I hope this book generates mindfulness and quietness to your life.

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