Over a decade ago, adult coloring books burst on the scene. They were suddenly available at drugstores everywhere, right next to the big, cartoon-filled kids’ coloring books. And there’s a reason for that: Research shows coloring can be incredibly relaxing to our brains, something we desperately need in our fast-paced society.
That's why we include a coloring page in every monthly Silk + Sonder journal. Here’s what you need to know.
Why Coloring Is So Great for Our Brains and Nervous Systems
If you remember getting lost in the act of coloring for hours as a kid, this makes sense. According to Mayo Clinic, coloring is a great way to promote mindfulness and keep our thoughts in the present moment. In other words, if you’ve ever struggled to meditate, coloring can be a great way to tune out the noise of your “monkey mind” as you engage with the shapes and colors on your page.
Coloring also has the ability to relax the fear center of the brain, called the amygdala. This leads to a calmer, quieter mind and an overall sense of relaxation in your body.
A more relaxed mind and body isn’t the only benefit you’ll get from coloring, though: Coloring can also improve your brain function overall, motor skills, creativity, and focus. And, coloring can help you embrace imperfection: A little coloring outside the lines? No problem. You’ll still creative a beautiful, color-filled, cohesive masterpiece that is uniquely yours. Coloring helps us prove to ourselves that things don’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.
Why Tranquility and Coloring Are So Well-Aligned
Every Silk + Sonder journal includes a coloring page, and our members have long enjoyed the sense of calm and peace the act of coloring brings them. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, tranquility is defined as the “quality or state of being tranquil and calm.” Coloring is such a transformative self-care pracitce because it literally has the power to bring us into that tranquil state after only a few minutes.
Because community is a huge value of ours, we couldn’t be more excited to come together with the Sonder fam and spend some time coloring together this month. At the end of our 45-minute session together, you will have a coloring masterpiece and a new connection to the theme of tranquility.
We can’t wait to color with you! Color along with our exclusive facilitator-led Sonder Social, available to watch here!
Looking for more informative blog posts on self-care? Start with these ones:
A Daily Self-Care Checklist for Your Planner