Nature as a Rejuvenator

How quickly time flies! The challenges of moving (yet again, and, I hope, the last for a while) and learning a new job have been fully occupying my time. I am a person who takes a while to adjust to a new setting, and I know that it's important for me to spend time quiet and not engaged with others. I found myself spending much of my time curled up on my couch watching television, until a revelation -- occupying myself in such a way was filling up my free time, but was not really giving me a chance to truly recuperate.

So I started making a point of taking a time a few days a week to disengage from electronic stimulation - television, phone, and music - and step out (usually onto my screened porch, which looks out out on a stream, trees, and a number of birds, but keeps me bug-free) and listen to the breeze in the trees and the birds singing while just relaxing or reading. I have to admit, making time to do this makes me so much more at peace for days.

I also quickly realized that my life had been missing the comfort that comes from having plants around, so I went out one weekend and POOF:

My apartment felt infinitely more like home. I'm planning on starting on vermicomposting soon for all of my produce scraps, and when I do, I'll let you know.

I've begun working as a pediatric occupational therapist - a longtime dream finally come to fruition. I work at an outpatient clinic and have been starting to incorporate some more natural activities into my treatment sessions to practice what I preach -- it should not be too difficult, I have an endless list of activities! I do have a client that I have made responsible for caring for the few plants currently in the clinic; it has given him the opportunity to be responsible and also to share his unending knowledge of plants, to be successful in ways that he hasn't acheived in other areas of his life. The plants were on their last legs before we stepped in, and they seem to be thriving now!

So, just adding a little bit more nature to your life can make a big difference for yourself or your clients -- buy some plants, have a few therapy sessions outside, or just take some time away from the noise and of modern life (I say as I type on my computer, sorry!).