Embrace Nature: Plan Time to Inhale So You Can Exhale😮‍💨🌿 Intentional

Nature is hit or miss for me. On one hand, I love it because it’s beautiful, & the right scenery can be hella relaxing. 🍃😎 On the other hand, allergy season sucks for me, I don’t like too hot or too cold weather, & snow is not on my list of favorites. 🤧❄️ And don’t let it be pouring out when it’s time to take the dog out because I fuss the whole time at him to hurry up. 🐶

Even with the cons, nature is a great place to spend time to do a variety of things, but you have to do some planning many times (at least I do). That’s where my good ol Intentional Planner & Journal come in; to help me organize my life & decompress. Check this recipe for good spiritual & mental self-care out!

Planning to Rejuvenate in Nature 🗓️

Planning is something I live by. Between my Intentional Planner, the Reminders app, & iCal, that trifecta are the only way I can manage mi vida loca without kirking out. 🤯 Between working full time, running Intentional, being on a nonprofit board, being my aunt’s payee, & all the stuff these kids have going on, I’m not sure where most of my free time comes from. 🤔 It seems like I’m always doing something when I’m not asleep.

I have to see things written down for me to embed them into my memory & to remind me when I forget something. If my phone is lost or dead, I at least have something in writing to fall back on. I’ve got to do a little more planning though when I want to get outside since the weather can be unpredictable. (Side note: it’s gone from Spring to Summer to Winter all in the last 2 weeks in NC ⛄️).

Scheduled Time with Nature

Normally when I plan a day to enjoy nature it’s a vacation. I like to get out & see the people, places, & things on vacation, just to experience a little more variety in life. Nature in the mountains & on islands is stunning! 🏔️🏝️ It’s just something about looking out at the mountains or ocean on the horizon that does something soothing to me. 💆🏽‍♀️ Sometimes the views are so beautiful that I’ve had to snap pics of them. Here are a few I’m come across over the years:

Lately I’ve connected more spiritually when I’m in a breath-taking environment. I can just sit in a chair, stare at the view, & thank God for all that He’s created. He’s definitely given us some masterpieces! When the world around you is silent & you can hear nature’s voice, it’s self-care at its finest & IT’S FREE! I’ve learned to love that silence! 🤐🥰

Spontaneous Time with Nature

Here & there, I’ll have some open time & connect with nature impromptu. That’s when I head to my favorite spot in the house: our back porch. Trees sit at the end of our lot, so I’m not looking into someone’s house or yard. The birds seem to chirp year-round, & I can always catch a glimpse of a bunny or that pesky groundhog who comes back every year. When the weather is perfect & a light breeze comes through, I’ve taken plenty naps out there. We’ve even camped out back there, & I can say I got some pretty good sleep those nights. 😴

How Nature Brings Me Back to Life 🛟

As you can see, nature plays a big role in me relaxing & rejuvenating. In fact, it’s been the perfect place to practice coping skills at times. 🧘🏽‍♀️ I’ve taken my Intentional Journal outside frequently to write. If I’m in a serene environment & don’t have any interruptions, I’ve done some of my deepest journaling. I don’t feel like I’m rushed when I’m sitting outside. It’s a time to slow down & take in your surroundings. It sets the mood!

Now that we have Intentional Spiritual Journals, I’ll be able to tap into my spiritual self-care a little more. 🙏🏽 Spirituality should go beyond Sunday mornings; God has unlimited openings in His schedule for you to connect with Him. Nature just makes me feel a little more connected to Him, so I can use the prompt, scriptures, & gratitude & prayer sections in the new journal to speak with Him.

Meditating & doing yoga in nature are something different too. 🧘🏽‍♀️ The birds provide their own soundtrack, so you don’t even need the meditation or yoga music to free your mind. For yoga, I just find a session on YouTube, move some of the furniture around, roll my mat out, & get to stretching. 🙆🏽‍♀️ Some of my favorite yoga instructors are:

For meditation, I usually use my Calm app, but with being outside, there are other options. I can zone out by focusing on the sounds around me. 🎼 I just pick one & breathe along to the rhythm. I also will find some on YouTube. I like the chakra ones best right now. They help me feel more centered when I’m not feeling like myself. Regardless of the method, inhaling fresh air & clearing my mind give me a great way to reset.

Next month, the focus of the month is spiritual self-care. We’ll dig a little more into how nature & spirituality intertwine. We’ll touch on how to maintain your spiritual side. And we’ll get into core values aligning with your spirituality. What better time to renew your spirit than when the Earth is renewing itself? 🌎 Until then, get outside & inhale so you can exhale!