Yeah, that's what I'd expect to happen to me. Then again, I spend days on character customization for games...

Yeah I find it frustrating when I don't color exactly inside the lines. Then I just get more stressed. I feel you OP.

I hope you don't worry about coloring outside the lines.

Soo much pressure ? i D go with blue

Don't get caught up in how it's going to look when it's done. It's the process of putting the color onto the paper that's relaxing. Not the end product. Try crayons, pencils, markers or paint. Find your favorite medium and enjoy playing. Limit your colors and it's a lot easier to choose and not stress over colors. . Only shades of blues (call it your blue period lol) or choose only three or four that compliment each other. Mandela patterns are great to start with there are no rules, right or wrong. Or simply don't choose at all, close your eyes and just pick one up and go with it. Title it Serendipity. Do that on a blank page charge $300 and it's modern art! It is YOUR art It only has to make YOU happy. Practice letting that uptight feeling go. Do a couple of pages intentionally going for the ugliest you can imagine like those ugly Christmas sweaters. Or opposite colors green sky, blue grass, black sun, purple people whatever. Just concentrate on the movement and textures. Explore what color combos are most pleasing to you. Just enjoy the doing of it. It's the journey not the destination yadda yadda.... If you really hate the picture when you're done paint over it or just tear it out destroy it and toss it in the trash and it never existed. ;) Start all over again and try something different. I like to print several copies of the same page and try out different color combinations when I figure out what I like best then do that on the sheet in the book. It makes the book last longer and I get more coloring time out of it. Only rule is to have fun.

I had the exact same experience

Wait until you figure out you have to stay within the lines!! OMG!! haha.

I have experienced this before OP and what I find to work is going through the book beforehand and colouring in small parts so that when I am stressed everything is already planned out and I have a colour scheme to follow. But if that doesn't work for you there are definitely other methods. Good luck!

breathe, drink chamomile tea, and think of three positive things. it helps me. and. don't sweat this small stuff.. some people don't have time to stress about colouring books. much luck OP

Exercise is great anxiety relief. Endorphins are awesome like that.