Many of us have, until recently, been living life in the fast lane with our foot pressed firmly on the accelerator, our gaze fixed on some desired distant destination. Quite often our minds are either living in the past or cast far into some future hope, dream, or worry. We sometimes forget to enjoy the journey and stop to take in a breath-taking vista or notice the changing scenery as we pass by. How often do we notice the visceral experiences that our 5 senses bless us with? Do we see them as mere pleasantries, superfluous to one’s utmost benevolent strivings? Truthfully, they are vital instruments in building our own reality and teach us about the world and our place in it.
Take time to notice
It’s easy to understand why we sometimes ignore our senses and live in our heads with the complexity of 21st Century life. Our brains have never had so much information to consume. Constant information is now flowing from various channels and we seem to have become incessant consumers of it. With a pursuit such as this and a failure to live presently our minds can easily become disconnected from our moment to moment physiological experiences.
How often do we notice the way our heart beat increases in rate when we feel anxious, or how relaxed we are when we consciously take a moment to fill our lungs with fresh air? These seemingly simple and insignificant phenomenon are what help maintain a connection with our experiential reality.
Life has dealt us all a curve ball with current circumstances and, with almost everything shut down, maybe we have a little more time to be still and enjoy a diary that is not booked up for months in advance. We have an opportunity to think differently about our lives and the course we could take. As we evaluate and assimilate these new ideas and objectives for our lives moving forward let us include goals for our wellbeing and mental health as a high priority.
It is often said that joy can be found in the simple things of life so here are a few suggestions or conscious challenges that can help you stay grounded in your experiential reality and improve wellbeing:
Eat a meal mindfully
Who doesn’t like to eat? I have yet to meet someone that doesn’t, however do we give full attention to this mostly enjoyable experience? Go ahead and try eating with your full attention. Turn off all distractions and sit comfortably at a dinner table. Observe the colours of your food and how it looks. How does your body respond to what you see? Eat the food and notice what sensations and flavours you experience. Try closing your eyes and see if that changes anything.
Connect with the natural world
Many of us are now enjoying walks in the countryside or getting out to a local park for fresh air and social distancing. It is well established by research the benefits that nature has on our health and wellbeing. Go for a walk by yourself in the woods or some natural environment. Consciously breathe in and out deeply and rhythmically as you go. Notice any smells or noises that your nose and ears bring to your attention. You may hear the sound of the wind brushing through the leaves in the tree or the sound of a myriad of birds singing their joyful songs or simply the sound of your body walking on the earth. Count how many colours you observe. Stop to look at the detail and structure of a flower or plant. What thoughts come to your head while you are walking?
Get creative
When engaged in a creative process it is difficult to be worried or anxious about anything else. Whether you love to draw, paint, sing, dance, crochet, play sport, complete a puzzle, write poetry or any other activity; you may find that it serves as a great way to escape or soothe feelings of anxiety and worry. Whatever you choose to do, give your full attention to it. Be spontaneous leaving behind any expectations of yourself and let your curiosity guide you.
You may want to keep a diary to record your observations and experiences. You will find that through practice of these exercises the detail will become richer and more meaningful.
If these suggestions don’t suit your needs then come up with something that works for you. Pick an activity of daily living which you take for granted or consider to be menial and live the experience fully, being mindful of any thoughts that come to you. Observe those thoughts and judgements and let them pass.
Ultimately, each of us are responsible for taking care of ourselves. To become more useful to others we first have to replenish our own resources. At Polaris Outdoor we understand the importance of the relationship between our environment and our personal development. We teach people to become observant and knowledgeable to the resources around them. When equipped with the right knowledge and skills an individual will feel confident in any environment.
Confidence is a huge contributor to wellbeing and those who tap into this state of mind regularly find that they are pushing the boundaries of their existence (or in other words they grow)! When we grow life becomes meaningful. When life is meaningful, we have purpose and when you have purpose you find joy.
Sam Ambrose
BA Hons Person-Centred Psychotherapist
