While you are reading this article, where are you? Maybe you are in your room. Maybe you are on a phone outside. Maybe you are in a classroom with your friends. Every second we find ourselves in a place.
In each place we occupy our senses notice the world around. Noticing nature helps us press the pause button. It reduces the stress of our 21st-century ‘hurry-worry’ lives. Savoring our surroundings gives us, quite literally, more breathing space.
Try it out
Read the following paragraph below and think of it when you are in new and old places. You can write down your reflections in a journal when you have time!
Use all of your senses. What does it smell like in the morning when you wake up? What sounds can you hear when you are on your way to school? When you eat something, really savor the taste. Enjoy how the food feels in your mouth. Is it hard or soft? Is it smooth or does it have a grainy texture? Take your time to appreciate the world around you. Watch the sun rise or set. If there are clouds in the sky, look at the shapes they form and how the light changes around you when the clouds go over the sun. What happens when it rains? Do the things around you smell different when it’s raining? What sounds can you hear if you really listen when the wind blows? If the sun is shining, look at how the shadows change shape during the day as the sun moves. Notice how warm it feels on your skin and how different it feels when the sun starts to set.
Take time to notice the place you are at, use your senses and think about how that place makes you feel. Being more connected to where we are in the world helps us connect with the rest of the world.
Do you have a favorite place you like to go to? Maybe it is somewhere outside or a place in your home. What makes this place special to you? Share how your special places make you feel by tagging iamtheCODE on social media using the hashtag #wellbeing