Skip to main content

Nature is My Healer

 We can't stop the rain here in Upstate, NY. However, we can adapt to it. I'm learning, if I apply the same mentality that I have all winter, my internal dialogue reads: "this is a time to enjoy the crisp, breathable air," "run through the snow, they made crampons for a reason," "cross country skiing is fun and relaxing at the same time, bring your phone and play your favorite music." I start with these ideas, and then I just go. I put on the coat, and the boots, and the gloves, and I go. Later on, when I come home, I am satisfied and fulfilled. 

See, my Native roots keep me close to nature. Right now, as a person who works remote, and runs a business from home, I am finding that getting outside has become essential. That being said, I went for my 5 mile trail run this morning, (after like 5 months, not bragging). After I dropped my son off at school. I didn't just go for a run. It was raining, it was cold, I had a million really great excuses why I shouldn't go, but something in my inner kept telling me to just lace up and get out there. I even bought myself a new cute running jacket, athletic gear always motivates me. 

So, I set my alarm for 7, enough time to down a couple of cups of pumpkin spice coffee, while watching NewsMax. Pinned some motivation/aspiration pins on Pinterest, and went up to get my son ready for the day. We set off at about twenty after, and the most interesting thing happened - I realized that I enjoyed the raindrops dripping on my skin. I actually took my hair down and let the droplets just fall on it, maybe why it is so soft now. I saw the trees swaying in the neighbors yards, and I admired the orange and red foliage surrounding me. I cautiously watched for snakes and butternuts. The snakes are fine - I just don't like them, but I did sprain my ankle on a butternut about one week ago. So, lesson learned - beware of butternuts - on your trail run through the forest full of twists and turns and critters unknown. The butternuts will take you down.

-Ashley Oliver



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anxiety is what happens when you feel like you've lost control of everything; but that’s only a feeling, and you can make it go away by taking that control back

Anxiety is what happens when you feel like you've lost control of everything; but that’s only a feeling, and you can make it go away by taking that control back. How? Control the things you can control. M y ex had me going insane. Constantly cancelling on his visitations with our son, cherry picking when he would see him, etc. And people at work kept pinging me asking ‘When.’ I had orders coming in for Amazon because I bought them when I was feeling anxious, but when they got to the house I became even more anxious because I forgot why I bought them. I haven’t made enough time in my day to sit down and go through my to-do list. This makes me crazy. I would end up with a million items on the list, but never mark them complete. I was so anxious at the lake that I couldn’t feel my legs, I collapsed.    There were external factors- the ragweed in the air fucks with my allergies. I only feel this way in September . I feel like I Can’t breathe – I took the Benadryl to make
Post a Comment
Read more

The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

So in good news there was a New Moon last night! Which perfectly aligns with what I want from the universe going forward. I have everything I need in my life except for one thing, I'm ready to receive it. Better yet, according to a YouTube video I watched yesterday - everything we do 3 days before and 3 days after the New Moon will set the tone for the future. How ironic is it that this falls right within alignment of my Text-Messaging detox. To sum it up, I hate texting, as I mention below. I like this break from it so much that I don't know if I'll ever willingly go back to it. I'm very busy with other things. I realized that freeing myself from my phone/texts actually gives me more time during the day to get shit done and less time to spend freaking out about not having enough time. The texting is a distraction - even if I'm using it to make business plans. I don't know why it's only texting for me, not social media, not email, nothing but texts. Anyway
1 comment
Read more

Slowing Down Can Help Avoid Creating a Disaster - Rage

Every decision you make could be made from either somewhere in the knee- jerk realm of your unconscious or with the unmitigated, laser-focused precision of the present moment. Yes. Every. Single. Decision. I’m talking about from the pants you choose, to the socks you select, to the choice to sit or stand while putting that stuff on. Yes, you even have the option to greet the mail lady who is delivering yet a certified letter from the Tax Man in full-on, bat-shit rage mode or not. I understand, full-on, bat-shit rage mode doesn’t feel like a choice. But I have learned, or rather with effort, retrained my knowing that I can choose. As I said in my last article (thank you, Community, for your encouragement BTW!), when I have hit my limit of victim thinking that I am at the mercy of assholes, I realize I am not at mercy of anyone! I am only making the choice to listen to the voice of anxiety and not the grounded one of my empowered self. This means that no one, not my boss, not the
Post a Comment
Read more