“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 23. Happy About Your Life’s Work
Do you know what your life’s work is? Some people know exactly what they were born to do. But others never find out.
Goals
Your
life’s work doesn’t have to be a tremendous series of high achieving accomplishments.
In
fact, it could be something quite simple yet fulfilling because it’s what you
know you’re good at.
Your
life’s work is your way of serving others and contributing to the world at
large in your own small but significant way.
Is
your life’s work your profession? The thing that you graduated with a degree
in?
No,
but it could be. If you love the work you do in your career and are good at it,
then this could be your life’s work or ultimate purpose.
How
do you discover what your life’s work is?
Figure
out what you’re good at
Determine
what you’re happy doing
Find
out the ways you’re able to teach and enlighten others with your knowledge
Some
people figure out what they’re meant to do and be in this lifetime by figuring
out what it is that they do NOT want to do.
So,
if you’re unhappy in your current work situation, then take some time to be
introspective.
Exercise: Your Gifts, Talents, Strengths and Skills May Point You to Your Life’s Work
Answer
the following questions in detail:
What
am I good at?
What
do I enjoy doing?
What
things would I be good at teaching others?
Who
can I help?
What
are my best qualities?
What
are my talents?
What
skills have I acquired?
How
would I describe my personality?
Journal It.
If,
after doing the above soul searching, you’re still not sure what constitutes
your life’s work and ultimate purpose, try taking a personality test.
The Myers-Briggs is an in-depth analysis that will shed light on myriad facets of your personality. Talk to me about doing this if you are interested.
After taking this test, write down what you learned about yourself and your strengths. From here, you can embark on your personal journey of self discovery that may lead you to your true purpose and life’s work.
“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 22. Thankful for Friends Near and Far
There’s nothing quite like a good friend to bring a smile to your face and lighten your heart.
Friends Make Life Better
Today
we’re talking about the ways that friends enrich our lives and bring us joy.
Friends
are different from family because we actively choose to make them a part of our
lives.
Today,
spend some time reflecting on your relationships with friends.
How
often do you make time to be with friends?
Are
most of your friends on social media? Or do you also nurture friendships in the
flesh and face to face?
For
many of us, Facebook is owed to the ease in which we can reconnect with friends
from our past.
It’s
absurdly simple to just log on to Facebook, locate an old friend from high
school or even grammar school, and get back in touch.
We
should be aware though, that even though social media friendships are easy, a
healthy relationship with a friend will require extra tending if you value that
closeness and connection that friendships from our younger years once embodied.
If
you love your friends, then don’t skim the surface and think that sharing
photos and giving thumbs-up is enough.
Make
time to visit with friends in person. Sit down and talk about things that
matter. Tell stories and share laughs. Remember that quality, not quantity, is
the secret to feeling fulfilled in your friendships.
Exercise: Show Gratitude for Your Friends
How
can you show a good friend that you appreciate him or her?
Set aside time to be with them. Meet for a meal or a chat over coffee. Get together and dish some harmless gossip. Find out what they’re up to, what’s been bothering them, what trips they’ve taken or great meals they’ve enjoyed.
Time With Friends
Send
a handwritten letter. Are pen pals a relic of yesteryear? They don’t have to
be. Instead of hastily typing a quick Facebook message, give yourself the
pleasure of sitting down with a good pen and a few sheets of nice stationery,
to write a letter to a friend.
Pick
up the phone and call them. Sure, they probably won’t pick up. But just hearing
the sound of your voice, expressing the wish to hear from them soon, might be
enough to make their day a bit brighter and righter. And they’ll probably call
you back to hear that sweet sound of a dear friend’s voice – yours!
Make
birthdays special. You don’t have to go all out, but a good friend who shows up
with a cake, a bottle of wine and some good stories and laughs goes a long way
to make a birthday meaningful and fun.
Journal It.
Write about a friend with whom you lost touch. What happened to cool the relationship? What do you miss about your friend? What stops you from reaching out to them?
In penning memories of dear old friends, you might just feel inspired to pick up the phone and say “Hey… I miss you! Let’s get together.”
“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 21. Ode to the Bountiful Harvest
Here’s something to be grateful for no matter what the season- the bountiful harvest.
If
you always have food on your plate, plenty of choices in the fridge, and a
full, satiated belly, don’t take it for granted.
The
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about 795
million people of the 7.3 billion people in the world, or one in nine, were suffering from chronic
undernourishment in 2014-2016.
Hunger
must surely have been a grave concern and possible fact of life for many of the
early settlers who migrated to our great country to make a better life for
themselves.
Indeed,
these pioneers likely did not take survival for granted, and in this country
we’ve come a long way from that.
If
to you, “hunger” means going longer than 3 hours without eating and
then sitting down to a heaping plate… then rejoice in the blessing of good food
shared with family and friends.
Where
does your food come from? Have you ever thought about this?
If
you grow a backyard garden, then you know where at least some parts of your
meals originate from.
If
you purchase meats from a local farm, then you have greater awareness of where
your food comes from than most others living in this country.
Feel blessed this year for the delicious, home cooked meals that will grace your table and fill your belly past the point of comfort.
Give
thanks for thick, succulent slices of carved meats – ham, turkey, roast beef.
Give
thanks for balanced and flavorful vegetarian selections if you opt to not eat
some or all animal products.
Give
thanks for takeout, prepared foods and the drive-through… for those times when
you don’t have time to prepare a home-cooked meal.
Give thanks for delicious, home-baked cookies, pies, birthday cakes, puddings, oh my!
You
needn’t be religious or celebrating a holiday to stop and give thanks for the
bounty of goodness that graces your table and fills your belly.
Consider
the very great effort, the many steps, the time and the detailed work that was
put into cultivating, harvesting and transporting our food from farm to table
to plate.
Exercise: Ease Hunger for Another
We can do so much more than simply clasp our hands and bow our heads in gratitude around the dinner table.
Take Action to Make A Difference
This
year, make plans to donate cans of food, so that the less fortunate may partake
of a hot and nourishing meal over this long and often dreary winter.
Most
schools, churches and many other organizations run programs that allow you to
drop off canned and packaged items.
If
you want to take it even further, how about volunteering at a soup kitchen?
Suppose
you work at a restaurant, grocery store or other food establishment. How much
food gets tossed into the garbage at the end of another day?
Consider
if there is a way to preserve this food so that it may be offered to those who
can benefit from its nourishment.
This
could be a wonderful way to share your giving spirit and make a difference for
people in need.
Journal It.
Make a list of all the ways you can offer food to the hungry. Commit to a plan. Make it happen. Feeding the hungry is a way to nourish your own soul.
“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 20. Challenge Yourself to Live in the Present Moment
Today
for our positivity rumination, we will expand our mind to living in the present
moment.
It’s easier to feel thankful for the simple gifts of life when we are mentally able to remain in the present.
Most
of us have a lot of trouble living mindfully, or staying present.
While
our children talk to us, we look down at our phones or scroll through messages.
While
we cook dinner for our families, we think about how we’ll soon have to run out
the door for our next planned activity.
During
activities that we signed up to participate in, our minds forward us to even
more activities that we might want to do, or have already committed to.
Sometimes
while reading a book, we find ourselves flashing back to an earlier
conversation. We worry about what we said and who might have been offended by
it. Or we imagine what we should have said, or will say next time.
This
is a stressful way to think! It isn’t healthy for our relationships. And with
everyone so immersed in social media all the time, it’s only getting worse.
Exercise: Choose an Activity to Help You Stay Present.
Certain
activities help us improve our mental ability to live in the present moment.
Some include:
Yoga.
Yoga involves stretching your body into certain poses that you hold still for while
breathing deeply. This is extremely good for calming the mind, easing nervous
tension and putting your parasympathetic nervous system into a restful state.
Meditation. Meditation is difficult for some people to understand. This is because they’ve never tried it. All that meditation really involves is fixating your gaze and your thoughts on a single focal point, and breathing. It’s easier to meditate after you’ve released some tension with a yoga session first.
Spend Time Outdoors
Spending
time outdoors. When we’re inside for hours at a time, we are away from natural
light and likely exposed to computers for too long. Stepping away from the
screen and into the natural world is one of the best things you can do for
yourself. Nature is extremely grounding and will bring you into the present
moment.
Journal It.
If
you find yourself constantly flashing backward into the past and forward into
the future, feeling restless and unsatisfied, you may want to question why this
is happening.
To
discover why, journal your day’s activities. Write down every little thing you
do, as you remember it.
How
often did you find yourself mentally stuck in the future or the past?
How
many times did you engage in compulsive activities like checking messages or
scrolling feeds?
Make
a list of grounding activities you might like to try to get you back to the
present. Working with your hands could be a mindful activity for you. Which of
these appeals to you?
Handicrafts
– sewing, knitting, crocheting, latch hooking, weaving, needlepoint, other
Woodworking
– building with wood, carving wood, etching wood
Sculpting
– working with clay, pottery making
Fine
arts – painting, drawing, pastels, coloring
Breadmaking
– working with dough
Gardening
– turning over beds, planting, weeding, harvesting
Select an activity from above that you might enjoy. Set aside an hour each day to partake in this pastime.
See how you feel afterward. Are you able to slow down and stay in the present?
“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 19. Honoring Your Mother and Father
On
day 19 of the 30 Days of Positivity Challenge, we’ll talk about honoring our
parents.
This can be a touchy subject for some. If so, please feel free to skip this exercise if it’s too painful for you.
Some
people grew up without a mom or a dad. For them, maybe it’s a Grandma, Grandpa,
Aunt, or other stand-in parental figure(s) who took on the tough job of raising
them. In this rumination, you can spend time formulating good thoughts for the
person or people who helped shape who you are today. We’ll just call them Mom
or Dad in this exercise, to simplify things a bit.
If
you had the good fortune of being surrounded and supporting by parents who were
as close to perfect as is humanly possible, then celebrate Mom and Dad for
everything they were and are to you.
Exercise: Honoring the Truth Your Parents and How They
Influenced the Person You’ve Become
When
you think of your mom, what words come to mind? What kind of woman was she, as
a mother to you growing up?
Was
your mom a soft-voiced person who took care of everything from a quiet place in
the background?
Was
she a bit of a dramatic figure who wasn’t afraid to express her opinions? Did
Mom rule with an iron fist in a velvet glove?
Whatever
your mom’s personality, we all have those “parent tapes” that play in
our heads any time we’re faced with a challenge.
Some
people joke that there’s a devil on one shoulder, and an angel on the other.
But really, the person’s voice whom you probably hear in the back of your mind
during all your decision-making is your mother’s, isn’t it!
So
what types of things did your mom say?
Do
you say those same phrases to your children now if you have kids?
What
did Mom say that you liked to hear? What other things did she say that may have
bothered you, and why?
Whatever
your Mom said, she must have done some things right to help you grow into the
fine person you are today.
So
today, for just a little while, think about the job your mother must have had
to take on while rearing you as a child. Be grateful for the ways your
relationship with your mother has influenced you positively.
Even
if some episodes with your mother stood out as being more negative than
positive, look into your own personality and explore how relating with your mom
has caused you to behave in certain ways in your adult life.
Surely your mom has influenced the choices you’ve made, by what she did and said or even what she did not do or did not say. That’s something to be grateful for.
Repeat
this exercise for your dad. At certain times and during certain activities, you
can probably hear your dad’s voice making strong suggestions on what to do, or
perhaps just chiming in with a running commentary.
What
types of things did your father say to you growing up?
How
did his remarks, instructions or admonishments make you feel?
What
actions did you take (or not take) based on the influence of your father?
What
was Dad good at doing? What did you enjoy doing together?
Be
grateful for having had a father, or a father-figure, to help you gain insights
into the person you wanted to grow into. Be grateful that your Dad had a hand
in who you became.
Journal It.
Set aside a half-hour or more today, to pen some good words about your mom, dad, or both. If you’re a parent, write about the things you plan to carry forward thanks to the way your parents raised you.
If
you had some bad experiences being parented by your mother, father or both,
then try this. Recognize your mother and/or father as being human and fallible.
Know that they only had so much to work with – the self esteem that was given
to them (or denied them) by their own parents, or parent-figures.
If
you had trouble relating with your Mom or Dad when you were young, or even now,
try to think of them as just another set of people instead of assigning them
this larger-than-life hero role that sometimes we feel our parents should be to
us. You can even write them a letter expressing how they made you feel. (You
don’t have to send it – this is meant to be cathartic.)
If
you parents did wrong by you, forgive them for it. To do this will set you
free, and open the door to positive experiences.
You
don’t have to be best friends with your mom or dad. (But if you are best
friends, then that’s great!)
If your parents did right by you, then be grateful. Tell them thank you for doing the best they could.
“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 18. Grateful for Creature Comforts
For
today’s exercise, we’ll be ruminating on creature comforts. That is, those
things in life that we almost take for granted but yet they enhance our
enjoyment greatly.
If you’re too comfortable right now to participate in this activity, that’s okay. Come back to it when you’re in the mood. As stated before, positivity cannot be faked. It’s your right and privilege to express yourself in your own way and in your own time.
If
you’re reading this, you probably live in a developed country. So, home heating
and cooling, clean drinking water, indoor plumbing and cars that get us where
we want to go are things you likely don’t think about much.
But
consider what your daily existence would be like without these things.
Imagine
how it feels to live in a country where a pair of shoes is a thing of novelty.
Imagine
what it might be like to fall seriously ill while living in a place where there
is no modern health care.
If
you’re like most American citizens, you’ve probably grown a bit spoiled and
come to expect certain things. This is not a criticism of you personally. An
entitled mindset goes hand in hand with a first world country existence.
But there are definitely times when tragedy strikes in some place or another, and we either live it or we hear about it through friends of friends or via the media.
While
no one wants to be impacted by tragedy or suffer loss due to something
catastrophic, it’s at these times that we are suddenly able to appreciate the
comforts that we’ve come to take for granted in our lives.
For
just a short moment today, reflect on all the things that make your life easy
and comfortable while enhancing your enjoyment.
Exercise 18: Be Blessed for the Creature Comforts of Your
Life
There
is so much in the way of “basics” to be thankful for!
Heat
and hot water
Electricity
and plumbing
Functioning
sewer systems
Water
treatment facilities that provide clean water to drink and bathe in
Gasoline
and electric that powers our vehicles
Well
built homes that stay warm (or cool) and dry
When
you think of all these creature comforts that enhance our personal experiences
on a daily basis, it’s just a wonder and a testament to the brilliance of the
human mind and all we’ve created.
Journal It!
Next
time you feel like complaining about a minor inconvenience that impacts a short
amount of your time, just stop. Stop and think of what your life would be like
in a third-world country.
Write down all the comforts that make your cushy life what it is. Be happy!
“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 17. Special Needs Folks Remind of What’s Really Important
“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” -Henry David Thoreau
Do you know someone who is differently abled or has special needs?
If there’s anyone whom we can
take a life lesson in appreciation from, it’s special needs folks.
Some people might look at people whose brains function a bit differently than the majority of individuals, and be apt to judge them or dismiss them due to their slower approach to living.
The truth is that families
who have been touched by special needs in such a way have discovered that these
folks have much to teach us about celebrating life and living in the moment.
Your experience with special
needs individuals can be profound and life-changing if you open your mind and
allow their hearts to speak to yours.
Exercise 17: Engage With A Person Who Has Special Needs.
If you have never been around
people who are developmentally disabled, then you may benefit from volunteering
at a special needs facility or attending an event where you’ll be able to meet
and interact with these gentle folks who wear their hearts on their sleeves.
We know that special needs
folks need us. But what we may not realize is that we need them just as much.
In a world of frenzied
activity, where people withdraw from each other while hiding behind their
technology, it’s a blessing and a privilege to engage with a person who has
special needs.
How to Engage in With Special Needs Folks:
Dance and sing. Most everyone loves music, and special needs people are no exception. If you adore singing and dancing and are tired of stuffy individuals who hold you back from fully immersing yourself in this pleasure-filled activity, then you’ll thrive in the presence of special needs folks who probably feel moved by the very same music as you do and have no trouble expressing it. Attending a special needs dance, where everyone is free to become one with the music, may just be the best thing you ever do in your life.
Dance, sing, create
Create. Every human has a
creative side. If you spend time guiding special needs folks through activities
such as drawing, painting, sculpting and other art forms, you’ll find that
their talent and knack for expressing themselves through creativity abounds.
Life can be difficult when you’re differently abled. People are apt to
misunderstand you or pass over opportunities to get to know you. Art is a
healthy way for these folks to bring their emotions to the surface and heal.
Play sports. For many of us,
sports don’t need to be a competition (although they certainly can be, even for
those of us with different abilities). If you’re searching for a healthy outlet
that will make a difference for people with special needs, and if you love to
play sports or serve in a coaching capacity, then you might try signing up for
organized sports with special needs individuals.
Journal It.
If you choose to allow one
special needs person, or a group of them, to become a part of your life while
you make a positive impact on theirs, then this experience might be worth
writing about.
Remember to slow down and
fully engage when you meet with your special needs friends. Look into their
eyes. Smile at each other. Ask questions and tell jokes. You’ll likely find a
willing participant who looks forward to spending time with you, and expresses
this openly which is a beautiful thing.
Write down bits of conversations that you have with your special needs friend or friends. They’re apt to be some of the most honest and refreshing talks you’ll ever have with another person in your life! And that is definitely a blessing to be grateful for.
“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 16. Grateful for Your Powerful, Amazing Mind
On Day 16 of our Positivity Challenge, we will explore something truly amazing – your brain!
” The brain needs to be regularly challenged in order to attain its uttermost performance.”Frank Knoll, Memory: Renew Your Memory: Obtain an Unlimited Powerful Memory
Human memory begins to function approximately 20 weeks after conception. That’s a lifetime of potential memories to create.
The storage capacity of the human brain is virtually limitless. So it’s highly likely that your mental capabilities far exceed your own expectations. Put it to the test and see what you accomplish!
It is believed that an adult brain can recall anywhere from 20 to 100,000 words.
The more sleep we get, the better our brains are able to retrieve long-term memories.
We all know that memory is strongly influenced by our sense of smell. That is, a familiar scent can evoke an emotional response triggered by memory. This happens in the hippocampus.
The more you think, the more you exercise the muscle of your brain, and the better that muscle will perform.
Most short-term memories only last 20 to 30 seconds.
You can improve memory recall as you age by exercising and challenging your brain on a routine basis.
Exercise 16: Love Your Amazing Brain
If you want to show some love to the incredible organ that serves as the power center of your being and controls every function of your body, then make sure you exercise your brain every day.
This is especially important
as you grow older, and you’re less apt to engage in activities that stimulate
your mind. Don’t let idleness or fatigue rob you of your mental potential. The
young at heart stay mentally and physically active longer, and that’s how these
lively folks manage to live to a ripe old age.
How to exercise your brain? It’s not as difficult as you
might think.
Get out of the house for a
few hours each day. Explore new places and acquaint yourself with new faces.
Take a different route. Did you know that that taxi drivers’ brains have a
bigger area of the part of the brain that processes navigation through space?
This is due to their constant reading of maps and driving. Don’t let the GPS
lag your mental faculties. Plot out the route, it’s great for your brain!
Converse. Talk to people.
Tell your stories. If thinking about memories improves your memory, then
sharing stories with others will not only benefit those whom you enlighten, but
it’s apt to keep you sharp as well.
Stay active. Exercise each
day. Get out into the sunshine. Take a brisk walk. Moderate exercise will keep
your body fit so you’ll be able to move more easily as you age. Sitting in one
spot for too long can make your body and brain want to shut down. Don’t live
your life in sleep mode! Get out and move, keep the blood circulating so your
thoughts can flow.
Some activities that improve your brain function:
Colourful Knitting
Knitting, crocheting, woodworking and other handicrafts
Socializing (yes! Even just engaging in conversations with different people exercises your mind)
Taking care of people or animals. Caring for others boosts feel-good brain chemicals which increases neural activity and benefits your overall health.
Journal It.
Writing is great for the
brain. Do you find that you remember better when you can picture the written
words in your mind? You may be a visual learner. Keep a personal journal that
you write a short entry in each day. From time to time, go back and reflect on
what you wrote. This simple and satisfying activity is really good for your
mental muscle. Feel blessed for your amazing brain. Treat your brain well, and
your brain will respond in kind.
“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 15. Grateful for Your Powerful, Miraculous Body
For today’s 30 Days of Positivity Challenge, we’re going to ruminate on the miracle of your body.
Body Positive
Your
body is a perfect machine, all parts working in concert, directed by your
complex power center, the brain and nervous system – the hard wiring that’s
responsible for it all coming together so naturally and effortlessly. Regulated
by your pulsating heart that carries blood to the outermost edges, and allowing
you to exist in this world!
When
you were born, your mind was an untouched tablet, waiting to be imprinted upon.
Your body was a bundle of untapped and undeveloped potential.
Look
at you now! Isn’t it a wonder. Why do we take our beautiful and miraculous
bodies for granted? Why do so many people abuse and neglect their wondrous
bodies, the chassis that supports a living, breathing human soul?
So
many people have a negative perception of their bodies. They want perfection –
a concept that only exists in our minds. But they fail to recognize the stark
beauty of their wondrous bodies and the life they support.
Exercise 15: Practice Loving and Appreciating Your Body
Your
body contains you. Your body gets you from here to there.
Your
body is powerful. You can use it to carry things and move things. Your body
takes you where you want to go.
You
have full control over your body. You can move it fast, or slow, or not at all.
Your body shuts down and recharges every night. That, too, is miraculous!
Your
mind controls your body more than you realize. Did you know that some people
who have practiced yoga for many, many years are able to regulate their own
heart beat and blood pressure? It’s true. Google it.
Think about Olympic athletes, and the amazing feats they perform using their bodies.
Working Your Body
Have
you ever watched Cirque De Soleil? The bodily capabilities of these performers absolutely
boggle the mind.
Your
body is a miracle! Celebrate it and appreciate it, even with all your perceived
flaws.
Adopt
a healthy attitude about your body. Treat it like the temple it is.
Reject
your own perceived limitations of your body. Stop thinking that “you
can’t.”
If
someone criticizes the way your body looks, get rid of them.
Feed
your body healthy food. Exercise your body. Give your body the rest it needs to
heal and self protect.
If
you’ve never done yoga before, embark on a practice. There are many videos to
learn from on YouTube and other websites.
You
can also get a book on how to do each yoga pose, and the benefit it provides to
your body.
Yoga
is a hands-on way to get to know your body and understand its capabilities and
your powerful control over it.
The
condition and health of your body is entirely up to you!
Journal It.
What
ways have you managed to show your body some love today? Write about it.
What
parts of your body do you appreciate? Do you have strong legs? A lovely, long
neck? Celebrate the Venusian curves of your womanly body, or the lean, powerful
mass of you if you’re a man or you’re bestowed with big muscles. Perhaps your
body is soft and yielding like a pillow, or sinewy and craggy in spots. Those
things are beautiful, too.
Did you use your body to help someone today? What did you do? Carry heavy objects? Move quickly in time to assist someone in need? Did you put your body against another, in a warm and loving embrace?
“30 Days to a More Optimistic You” Positivity
Challenge – Day 14. Commune With Nature
On Day 14 of our Positivity Challenge, we’ll talk about giving thanks for the beauty of nature and miracle of life on this planet.
Communing With Nature
Do
you ever marvel at the perfect balance of conditions that sustain life here on
Earth?
Do
you ever think that water is the main reason we’re here, existing in our lives?
No
other planets in our solar system have an abundance of water as we do. The
beautiful, life-giving water that covers our planet and serves so much purpose
in our lives for health, pleasure and utilitarian means.
It
can be fun and illuminating to expand your consciousness to the most miniscule
creatures, seen and unseen, that exist in our natural world. Next time you take
a trip into the deep dark woods, think of the tiny, strange beings living a
complex existence beneath the ground under your feet.
Are
they that much different from us? Are they better, for instinctively knowing
that the best way to sustain life is by cooperating and communing with Mother
Nature?
It
can be just as enjoyable to expand your mind to the edges of existence that can
never be reached. The endless heavens above, the tiny points of light that fill
the night sky… the rain that collects into our oceans, rivers and lakes, then
cycles right back up into the atmosphere to repeat this miraculous process all
over again.
Consider
that giant ball of fire in the sky – our sun. The thing that nurtures life into
being here on planet earth, along with the rain that quenches and the soil that
nourishes.
Exercise 13: Return to Nature and Be Grateful
For many people in our modern world, technology and the virtual reality existence has removed us from our place in the natural world.
Walking In The Woods
Being
outside in nature doesn’t have to be some exotic and unusual experience. All
you have to do is step outside to once again experience the grounding effects
of sun beating down on your shoulders, your feet planted firmly atop the rock
of our great planet.
Be
thankful for all of our modern experiences, but not at the expense of
forgetting about the wonders of nature which have existed all along and brought
us to this beauteous Eden of Planet Earth.
Exercise: Explore the Wonders of Nature and be Grateful.
It’s
not so hard to get back into nature as one might think. The first step is to
take a hiatus from looking at your smart phone.
Next
time you have a spare hour or two, head out into the natural world and feel
your worries and preoccupations slipping away as you drink in the peacefulness
all around you.
Pack a lunch and enjoy it slowly and mindfully while sitting by a lake or stream.
Walk in the rain. Leave your umbrella at home.
Find some good hiking trails. Choose one that matches your ability level so you’ll be relaxed and refreshed after your journey.
Plan a family vacation to someplace where you’ll see some spectacular natural wonders.
Go with your children to explore a cavern beneath the ground, with its curious-looking stalagmite and stalactite stone formations.
Plan a camping trip. Sleep beneath the stars while crickets serenade you. Cook food using fire. Sing songs. Tell stories.
Shake off your winter blues – go out and play in the snow, bask in the intense sunlight and breathe the crisp, clean air.
Take a trip to the seashore. Behold the great ocean and all of its alien-like life forms – crabs, starfish, jelly fish, mollusks of all kinds.
Explore the amazing world of bugs. Nurture caterpillars into butterflies. Collect fire flies in a jar, then let them go free. Observe the behavior of dragonflies. Say hello to a ladybug.
Journal It.
Mary Oliver is a famous poet who captures the miracles of nature in her words. If you’d like to spend some time communing with nature and reflecting on the beauty of the world around you, you might bring along a book of her poems for inspiration.
Reflecting
Also bring along a notebook of your own. Spend some time doing as Mary Oliver does. Reflect on the full sensory experience of nature and the peace brought about by quietly observing God’s creatures.
