Drawing Your Breath: Autumn Edition

Take a calming moment for yourself with this simple autumn-inspired drawing your breath and watercolor exercise. Relax, breathe, and reset your mind.

As moms, we often find ourselves running on autopilot, barely getting a moment to breathe. Between school runs, laundry, and the hundred other things on our to-do list, finding a pause can feel impossible. This exercise, “Drawing Your Breath,” is all about taking that pause—giving yourself space to breathe, slow down, and tune in to your body.

This time, we’re putting an autumn twist on it, inspired by the colors and crispness of the season. And don’t worry, there’s no pressure to create something perfect. This is about the process, not the result. All you need are some basic art supplies and a few minutes to step away from the chaos and reconnect with yourself.

Why This Exercise Helps Your Mental Health

Breathing exercises have long been known for their calming effects, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. When you pair your breath with creativity, something magical happens. You’re not just calming your mind but also engaging in an activity that makes you feel present and grounded.

For moms, this can be especially helpful. We often feel pulled in a million directions, and focusing on our breath, even for a few minutes, helps break the cycle of overwhelm. The act of painting in tune with your breath gives you permission to slow down and quiet those racing thoughts.

Adding the final details of leaves reinforces that feeling of flow—your breath, like the wind, can carry away the tension if you allow it to.

Have fun with this drawing your breath autumn exercise! Please let me know if you’ve tried it; I would love to see it.

You can find a small video of this exercise on my Instagram @thecreativecooldown

Supplies used:

Watercolor paper 300grs (Arches), watercolor sheets (Viviva), brush (CreaArt), fineliner (Steadtler), white gelpen (Sakura) cup of water, paper towel, washi tape.

Alternative supply suggestions:

You don’t need any fancy materials—whatever you have on hand works fine. Watercolor, markers, or crayons—it’s all about the process, not the result.

Instructions for this drawing your breath exercise:

Step 1 – Inhale, Exhale, Paint

Choose autumn-inspired colors—think deep reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. Anything that makes you think of crisp fall days.

Before you start, take a moment to focus on your breathing. Slow it down if you can. Now grab your first color.

As you inhale, paint a line in one direction. As you exhale, switch directions. Let your breath guide the movement of your lines. There’s no rush. The goal is to let your breathing set the pace.

Step 2 – Layer it up

Once you’ve finished a full breath cycle with one color, grab another and repeat the process. Continue layering lines until your page feels complete. Let the colors flow over or next to each other.

Step 3 – Add some autumn leaves

Once everything is dry, grab a pen (or a black and white pen if you want contrast) and add small leaves over your lines. Imagine these leaves gently being carried by the wind, following the flow of your breath.