Kindergarteners and kindergarteners at heart, rejoice! Yesterday was National Coloring Book Day, which means you were given an official reason to take out your Lisa Frank coloring book (or Benedict Cumberbatch coloring book, no judgment) and get to work.
We’ve covered the trend of achieving mindfulness via colored pencils and paper in the past, but in case you’re in need a of a fast stat, check this: according to Nielsen, the total sales of colored pencils was up 26.3% in 2015 — a huge increase, compared to the 1.3%-7.2% growth of the previous years.
Hotels and resorts are starting to get in on the mindfulness game too. It makes sense — vacation is the time to detach from the world and forget all your day to day problems. Some hotels actually offer guests adult coloring books to help them de-stress, while other properties are getting into the mindfulness game in other ways.
If you need to chill a little, check out these options and start planning your next retreat:
Color And Meditate In Style With Morgans Hotel Group
The Morgans Hotel Group wants to make sure their guests’ mental health is in tip-top shape. That’s why they launched a program that provides guests with access to both coloring books and the Buddhify app.
But it isn’t just any coloring book on offer: the illustrations for the book were created by artist Peter Arkle. Guests get to color in iconic scenes from various iconic Morgans properties — like the stained glass staircase at the Sanderson London or the library at the Hudson New York.
The app, too, is Morgans-specific: the hotel group teamed up with the creators of the buddhify app, Mindfulness Everywhere, to produce travel meditations specifically designed for their guests.
Discover Mindfulness In The Wild With The National Park Service
Not only is today National Coloring Book Day, but this month also marks the 100th birthday of the National Park Service in the U.S. What better way to find your inner peace than by surrounding yourself with mountains and wildlife?
There’s an outdoor activity for everyone. Like stargazing and food? Check out a dinner cruise on Snake River, located in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. A Western cookout featuring fresh river trout and local steak? Fantastic. Guides sharing their knowledge of the region and its history? Even better. And don’t forget about that view: Grand Teton National Park’s distance from the light pollution of civilization, combined with its altitude, makes for a stunning post-dinner (re)treat.
If you’re more into meditation, check out Keystone, Colorado’s Keystone Resort, where you can attend a yoga class at the top of Dercum Mountain, which itself offers a breathtaking view of the Tenmile Range. And definitely don’t rule out relaxation in Park City, Utah, or trekking in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
The point here is, there’s a lot more to be found in the national parks than just trails and campsites. Do your homework, and you’ll find yourself physically invigorated and mentally relaxed at the end of your vacation.
Take A Retreat At Vermont’s Twin Farms Resort & Spa
Like Morgans, Twin Farms has the mental health of guests on its mind. Earlier this year, they offered the Mind, Body & Soul Wellness Weekend, which included sessions on mindful coloring, clean eating, and cold press juice cocktail mixology.
But just because the retreat has passed doesn’t mean you can’t still craft your own mindfulness weekend at the resort. Twin Farms itself is 300 acres worth of seclusion and tranquility, an hour and a half outside Burlington. There’s plenty of opportunity for physical activity in all seasons — think canning in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter — and the Brick House Spa is a perfect way to rejuvenate afterward.
The trend toward mindfulness is just taking off, and we’re excited to see what hotels get on board next. Guided breathing as a part of continental breakfast? Gourmet herbal teas crafted specially for relaxation? In the meantime, we’ll just pull out our UFC coloring book and get to work releasing our troubles as we fill in the illustration of BJ Penn licking blood from his glove.
