Childhood can be so carefree and adventurous. Remember when you were in Kindergarten and how exciting it was to try out new toys during free time. I remember the room getting very crazy during those times when I used to volunteer in my kids classrooms. This is why teachers use Sit Spots in the classroom. The colored round circles that the teacher would have. They would ask the students to pick a spot to play by placing the Sit Spot down to maintain some organization in the classroom Teachers often use the Sit Spot when they take the students outside to observe their surroundings. Though it is hard to make a young child sit quietly and observe, the Sit Spot helps to make it more exciting.
Let’s move out of the classroom and into the real world for adults. Today’s world is so hectic, stressful, chaotic and always moving. I will be totally honest with you the world is overwhelming. It is very easy to get caught up in all of the running and the nonstop culture that many people live daily. The United States is one of the biggest offenders of that nonstop culture. Literally, I have had so many clients and people in my life tell me that they feel guilty when they have a lazy day or really didn’t get anything accomplished. We have been programmed to believe that taking time to just sit, stay home, lay in bed for the day or binge watch television, is not ok. It means you are lazy and I find many people making excuses when they indulge in these activities. Stop! Rewind! Doesn’t that just sound crazy to you? It’s not ok to take time to slow down and have some down time? I know this sounds all too familiar to you. The Global Pandemic has changed that whole thought process for me. I find now that I can’t function without down time. Staying home for all of those weeks without the chaos of running around in life, gave me time to appreciate how imperative it is to take time to slow down. I wish I could take a photo of people’s faces when they say to me, “I feel bad I did nothing today, I was so lazy.” I reply. “You know it’s ok to stay home and do nothing.” I actually do this often and I feel no guilt whats so ever.” The facial expressions I get is priceless. It’s like I am saying something wrong.
Sit Spots have gained popularity with naturalist. I am going to focus now on how a Sit Spot can help with your mental health. Do you have a Sit Spot? I hope you do but if you don’t, you will after I help you to identify your Sit Spot. The term actually derived from naturalist identifying the importance of spending time with nature. A term commonly used by naturalist is Forest Bathing. Literally, it means spending your time in a Sit Spot in the middle of a forest or a lot of trees. Absorbing everything that the trees have to offer. Sites, smells, feels and sounds that surround you. The term has evolved into a place that you identify outside that you go to frequently to take a time out. Realistically, most people don’t live near a forest that they can just walk to and sit. A Sit Spot should be no more then a five minute walk from your home or work. I feel that it should consistently be the same spot. My Sit Spot is in my own backyard. I sit every day on my teal blue adirondack chair, facing the lake and the beautiful trees on the other side of the lake. It doesn’t have to be the same time each day, it is actually more beneficial if you go to your Sit Spot at all different times of the day. Nature is ever changing and it looks very different throughout the day. The benefits of staying in the same Sit Spot is to be able to watch how nature changes throughout the seasons. I don’t mean a superficial look at nature where you just gaze and glimpse at your surroundings. The Sit Spot gives you time to look at the simple and big wonders of nature that surrounds you.
So how does this improve your mental health? A Sit Spot can make you feel calm in your heart, helps to ground you, a form of stress relief, bathe in quiet, gives you time to reflect, you can feel free, lowers your blood pressure, increases your focus and gives you something to look forward to each day. That is a lot of self-care and a way to improve your mental health. That down time that I talked about earlier that most people feel guilty about is really a necessity for improved mental health. Our brains and bodies crave this down time and nurturing of oneself. Reconnecting with natural world whether it is in your own backyard or sitting under your favorite tree helps our bodies to reconnect with nature and to allow nature to heal our bodies and minds.
Do you have a Sit Spot? If the answer is no, then it is time to close your eyes for a moment and think of a place that is close to home that you can go to every day to sit and support yourself emotionally and physically, Sit Spots give you the opportunity to notice how your body is feeling and how your thoughts and emotions are affecting you.
Of course I am going to take the Sit Spot up one more notch by encouraging you to have an intention before you go there. What do you want to accomplish during the time you are in your Sit Spot? Reflect on your day and how it has impacted you. Maybe your intention is just to calm your thoughts or to have time to really focus on your feelings and the way you need to start to provide self-care. I want you to have the intention of setting a goal that you want to accomplish while you spend the precious time in your Sit Spot. I recommend that you spend at least 15 minutes in these self-care moments so that your mind and body receive the full of effect of the Sit Spot. I guarantee the more time you go to your Sit Spot you will always see something different and you will feel different. A Sit Spot is free, easily available and yours for the taking. Finding your Sit Spot takes a little effort and desire to want to improve your lifestyle. If the weather is an issue and keeps you from going outside, I want you to find a window and a special spot to look at outside. Though you might not experience the being one with nature feeling, you are still creating a Sit Spot to focus on nature. Make the Window Sit Spot cozy and comforting while you spend your time there.
I don’t want to hear I can’t, It’s too difficult or I don’t have time to be in a Sit Spot. All of those are just excuses and you getting caught up in that nonstop, chaotic and stressful world that we are encouraged to struggle through. Stop the I can’t thought process and turn it around to the I can thought process. These will be the first steps into your journey of self-care and improving your own mental health.
Never feel guilty for taking time for yourself, being lazy on a rainy day or just wanting some down time. Give yourself the permission to support yourself, nurture yourself and to be confident that you are doing what is best for you and your lifestyle. Time to sign off and go spend some time in my beautiful teal adirondack chair, looking out at the lake, the tress, feeling the cool breeze on my face, smelling the fresh air, looking at the wildlife around me and going in with an intention for myself. Off I go and you should also. Yes! I am talking to you! Go! No excuses!
POSITIVE THOUGHTS CREATE POSITIVE ENERGY
GO OUT AND EXPLORE ALL OF THE WIDE OPEN SPACES IN YOUR WORLD
CIAO
ILISE
