A year of living outside...wow!
My Earth Day resolution this past year was to spend a half-hour of mindful time outside every single day...no matter what the weather, no matter where I happened to be, and my walk/bike to work didn't count. Well here we are, one year later and I DID IT!!
Out of 365 days, I missed 4: 2 were sick days, 2 were travel days while I was going to and coming from India. Many of the days I spent much more than a half-hour outside, but it was always at least a half an hour.
Hardest part = time. For me it was generally never an issue of wanting to be outside, it was more to do with making the time to do so. Whether squeezing in a walk/run at lunchtime, or trying to get one in after work, before supper, and before going into town for some band practice or yoga class...making time has taken dedication.
Even on days when the weather was cold, drizzly, or downright nasty...I knew I would always feel more grounded, connected, and joyful after some time outside. There have been so many highlights this past year, so I'll only share a few here.
It's now become an ingrained habit for me to spend a minimum amount of time outside everyday. By the end of those days where I was sick and stayed inside, I was itching to get out! I have a feeling that I want to keep this resolution for the rest of my life. As for this year's Earth Day resolution...I'm still working on it, so stay tuned!
Love to you, to the earth and to the sky!
My Earth Day resolution this past year was to spend a half-hour of mindful time outside every single day...no matter what the weather, no matter where I happened to be, and my walk/bike to work didn't count. Well here we are, one year later and I DID IT!!
Out of 365 days, I missed 4: 2 were sick days, 2 were travel days while I was going to and coming from India. Many of the days I spent much more than a half-hour outside, but it was always at least a half an hour.
Hardest part = time. For me it was generally never an issue of wanting to be outside, it was more to do with making the time to do so. Whether squeezing in a walk/run at lunchtime, or trying to get one in after work, before supper, and before going into town for some band practice or yoga class...making time has taken dedication.
Even on days when the weather was cold, drizzly, or downright nasty...I knew I would always feel more grounded, connected, and joyful after some time outside. There have been so many highlights this past year, so I'll only share a few here.
- feeling more grounded and connected to the world around me
- listening to the wind through the grass
- a dark, and rainy night walk...with only my headlamp and imagination for company
- walking amidst a flock of Cedar Waxwings...flying about as though one morphing organism...shrinking, growing, moving, shifting, shaping
- long, wandering, exploring walks through markets, back streets, monastery grounds, side roads and hills of India
- getting home from India and feeling blessed to live where the air is fresh to breath and the ground is clean
- impromptu snow-angels
- connecting with the people I care about by being outside
- hugging a tree
- seeing all sorts of animal tracks
- finding a place where I take the time to reflect...in spending that time outside I found a certain spaciousness where I could often work through issues, give thanks, or think big thought
It's now become an ingrained habit for me to spend a minimum amount of time outside everyday. By the end of those days where I was sick and stayed inside, I was itching to get out! I have a feeling that I want to keep this resolution for the rest of my life. As for this year's Earth Day resolution...I'm still working on it, so stay tuned!Love to you, to the earth and to the sky!
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