4 Effortless Ways to Be Still in 10 Minutes or Less
By Dr. Trina Boice
www.findingjoytoday.net
Connecting with nature feels magnificent. It speaks to our souls and reminds us to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). It’s restorative and allows us to step outside our busy life for a while and breathe. It gives us pause to be in awe of this glorious earth, especially when we are mindful that we, God’s children, are His greatest creation.
There are already so many demands to juggle that we often don’t prioritize it in our busy day. The good news is that we don’t need to commit to a weekend hike in the mountains to reconnect with nature. It can be a quick, restorative check-in that’s easy to integrate into our day. Try one of these suggestions right now to get a quick nature buzz.
Touch Nature
The easiest way to reconnect with Mother Nature is to take off your shoes and wiggle your toes in the grass. Any grass will do, whether it’s your back yard or a nearby park. Choose to spend your lunch break in the park, smelling “nature” all around you and touching the textures of grass, tree trunks, and leaves. Be still.
Gardening
Nothing connects you faster to the rhythms and energy of the natural world than tending a garden. It doesn’t matter if your garden is a traditional lawn and garden plot, a communal vegetable garden, or your favorite herbs in pots on the windowsill. Even a potted plant or flowers on your desk will change the energy levels and make you feel good. An added bonus is they actually improve your indoor air quality! Be still.
Look Up
Make it a daily practice to notice what’s happening in the sky. Instead of checking the weather app on your phone, take a look out of the window. See what sort of clouds there are and the position of the sun. Use all your senses to be aware of what’s happening in nature right now. Are there birds singing? Are they making nests? What color are the leaves on the trees? What’s flowering right now? How does the air feel on your skin? You can ‘read’ the environment through your senses – you only have to notice. Be still.
Walk Mindfully
Do you walk down the street with your mind already on your next meeting or worrying about all of the tasks you need to accomplish by the end of the day? So many people spend their lives in their heads, not aware of the world around them or how they are moving through it.
The Buddhist teacher and philosopher Thich Nat Hanh reminds us to slow down and be fully present in the world. One of his best-loved sayings bids you to “Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.” All it takes is a small but significant mental gear shift to stay connected to the earth and nature with every step. Be still.
Dr.Trina Boice teaches for BYU-I, is a #1 best-selling author of 31 books, and a mother of 4 sons. She helps families know which movies to spend their time & money on at www.MovieReviewMom.com You can hear her podcast “Daily Inspirational Quotes Hosted by Trina” on Amazon Echo devices,Volley FM, and all other podcast platforms. She founded an online school and continues to create online courses at www.LifelongLearningEducation.com Because she is a popular speaker in China and loves to travel around the world, she created www.EmptyNestTravelHacker.com She is an author coach and can be found at @TrinaBoice on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
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