Tag: nature
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Weather is No Longer a Boring Topic
Party Conversations When I was younger, it was sort of a joke that when you didn’t know what to say, you would talk about the weather. It was seen as a boring topic of conversation that you would only bring up if you were trying to make small talk or felt socially awkward. However, I… Read more
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I Didn’t Fear a Bear…
A Spontaneous Nature Adventure I was recently in an area with some beautiful hiking trails. I was unfamiliar with that spot and had no map of the trails- I wasn’t even sure if I could find the path off the road, but I didn’t want to lose out on the opportunity to explore. So I… Read more
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Paying For the Box Instead of the Chocolate
Boxes of Chocolate I was browsing in a small store recently, waiting to pick something up, when my eyes fell on some familiar boxes of chocolates. They’re made in my area and are quite well-known and beloved locally. But over the past few years, inflation has hit their prices hard and they went from “pick up… Read more
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More Images to Help Regulate You
I’m learning to look for the beauty in the world- not only that, but intentionally cultivate and create it. There is so much to notice and make, once you get past all the noise. I want to lose myself, getting up close to pretty things; to examine them and question them; to philosophize with them… Read more
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Images to Help Regulate You
I used to think that being online was over-stimulating, but now I realize that not only can I find peace online, I can intentionally cultivate it. So instead of endlessly scrolling social media, I have been taking time to appreciate beauty- without metrics, comparison, or anxiety. Just pretty things to calm my mind and help… Read more
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Book #39- Reflections on “How to Give Up Plastic”
Book #39 How to Give Up Plastic By Will McCallum A Fortuitous Find I had never heard of How to Give Up Plastic by Will McCallum until I came upon it 40% off in a bookshop. The arresting title and cover caught my attention, so I decided to give it a read. I am really happy that… Read more
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Book #32- Reflections on “Raising Hare”
Book #32 Raising Hare By Chloe Dalton Wild Animals This is a charming story of a successful career woman who moves back into her parents’ house during the pandemic and begins to raise a baby hare that is found alone nearby. I found myself getting really attached to the hare’s journey. Her story reminded me… Read more
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Learning to Rest: Slowing Down in a Productivity-Obsessed World
Relearning Rest How many hours of the day are you at ease? Not just not working– but at peace. Calm. Present. Happy to stay in that moment, without a sense of frenzy or urgency. I am never like that. Well, when I am, it is so shocking that I notice it right away. Being at ease… Read more
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Finding Balance: Reading, Reflection, and Self-Care
Learning to Celebrate My Wins and Appreciate Success I am just about halfway through my year-long challenge of reading 52 books. When reading so many books (and writing several blog posts about each), the pace needs to be quick. But I need to allow myself space for reflection as well. I know reading these books… Read more
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Leaving Busyness Behind to Find Peace in Nature
I Am Playing a Dangerous But Lovely Game As I write this, I am in the middle of the woods. I am only about a mile or two from the nearest building but that seems perilously far because it has been raining on and off and I am out here with all of my devices… Read more
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Book #18- Reflections on “Field Study”
Book #18 Field Study By Helen Humphreys The Calming Effect of Nature and Books This book is simple and profound. I felt as though the author and I briefly met (at least through her written word) before each going on our individual year-long journeys. There was a certain parallelism to the way we spent our… Read more
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Blooming Pink Flowers
I have been feeling pretty pessimistic about the world for the past few years, but through this year of self-improvement I am trying to be more positive. This has meant that I have been consciously noticing more of life’s sweet moments. Recently, I was sitting in a park reading a book for my 2025 Reading… Read more
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The Blessing of a Delay
Convenient Content I was recently writing a blog post in a place where the Wi-Fi wasn’t great. I was outdoors by the water so I am not complaining and I used my iPhone’s hotspot to write. After about an hour of writing, I took a break. I took a sip of my now-cold tea, and… Read more