by Kseniya Ali

We live in a time of incredible innovation and extraordinary speed. Information is available almost instantly, and we can connect with people, places, and ideas from anywhere in the world. This has brought many wonderful opportunities. As an artist, I can learn, research, and share my work in ways that would have been unimaginable only a few decades ago. But I have also begun to notice something else.

While technology has helped us move faster, it hasn’t always taught us how to slow down. I believe slowing down has become one of the most important skills we can learn.

Sometimes I imagine us like children racing down a snowy hill on a toboggan. We laugh, we rush, we hope to go farther than ever before—but in all that speed, we barely notice the trees, the snow, or the quiet beauty around us.

That thought stayed with me and eventually became the reason I chose the word “Mindful” for my colouring books.

When I was growing up, finding information took time. If I wanted to learn about another country, I visited a library. I searched through books and encyclopedias, and I remember feeling excited whenever I found photographs in colour.

Today, I can visit museums online, explore cities across the world, and learn almost anything with a few clicks.

I wouldn’t want to lose those incredible opportunities. But I also don’t want to lose something else along the way — our ability to pause, observe, and truly experience the world around us.

Take a moment and look around you. Can you find something you normally never notice? Perhaps it’s the way light falls across your table, the sound of birds outside your window, or an ordinary object that has quietly shared your space every day. Spend just two minutes paying attention to it. You may discover something beautiful that was always there — you simply hadn’t noticed it yet.

That is what mindfulness means to me. The object hasn’t changed — you have simply chosen to see it differently.

As an artist, I eventually realized something. The moments when I created my best work were never the moments when I rushed. They were the moments when I slowed down. That realization became the foundation for everything that followed—including the name of my colouring books.

My first publication was titled “Mindful Colouring Book for Autism and ADHD”, and its purpose is reflected in its name. When I later began creating my trilogy about numbers, I realized I wanted to keep the words Mindful Colouring Book. They had become more than a title — they represented the intention behind every page I create.

Although each book explores a different subject, they all share the same purpose: to offer a calm, welcoming space where curiosity, creativity, and mindful attention can naturally grow. That shared intention is what connects every book I create.

My goal has always been to create gentle colouring books with enough room to breathe — pages that don’t overwhelm but instead invite you to slow down, enjoy the creative process, and simply be present in the moment.

My hope is that my colouring books become a small invitation to slow down, notice the world a little more closely, and enjoy the simple act of creating without pressure or expectation. They brought me many moments of curiosity, peace, and quiet joy while I was making them, and I hope they bring the same to you.

Thank you for spending a few mindful moments with me and may you always find time to slow down, notice the beauty around you, and create something that brings you joy.