Forest Bathing & Taking a Dump Outdoors

Nothing like forest bathing and taking a dump outdoors amiright? Why are you looking at me like that? A brain dump you weirdo- what were you thinking?!

Now that we're on the same page...😉

While getting outdoors for movement is one of my favorite things to do, I also like to get outdoors to just be. To sit and observe. To sit and write.

I have a favorite journaling spot at one of the parks I go to. It's a group of evergreen trees up on a small hill away from the most popular parts of the park. It's shaded, smells good, and it's just a calming space.

A great spot for forest bathing and dumping as it were.

People have told me they aren't good at journaling or if they don't do it every day they see it as a fail and just kinda give up on it. I think that's silly myself.

There's no being "good" at journaling. It's just thinking through the pen. You're literally thinking every day. Do you say you're not a good thinker? I mean maybe you do 😂

I've been a journaler (Is that a word? It is now!) off and on since I was around 15 years old. I'll go through spurts of time where I journal daily to not journaling at all or sporadically. I don't ever get down on myself for not doing it. Sometimes it's a useful tool and sometimes it's not.

Personally, I find it useful more often than not because I started reading back over my journals 5 years ago or so and MAN the things you can learn!

Here are three great reasons to try journaling...

1 You can get things out so they aren't tumbling around in your brain

2 It can help you think more deeply about things so you get yourself beyond surface level

3 You have something to look back on to see if you've grown or if you're following the same unhelpful patterns and holding yourself back

Don't think it has to be a handwritten journal, either. I've used Evernote for journaling for a long time as well. Sometimes thoughts come out too fast for the pen to keep up. Deep in the bowels (pun intended) of Evernote- I'm talking 10 plus years ago- I have been able to see how anxiety and stress were kinda running my life. I'd come out of it for a while, struggle again, and repeat. Reading back over these has helped me to see what changes I've needed to make and how many improvements I have made over the years. This self-reflection is part of what brought the SNAP Method into existence. I can help people get some shiz figured out sooner than the...10+ years it's taken me.

Anyway, I highly recommend finding a good spot outside with your favorite sippin drink, a comfy chair, and a notebook. If you're feeling froggy get the full experience by sitting out in the woods. Maybe it's in the morning before your day kicks off or in the evening before you get ready for bed. Sink into it first using your 5 senses. Note 3 things you see, 3 things you hear, 3 things you feel, something you smell, and something you taste.

Then take a (brain) dump. It can be really cathartic.

Here are some journal prompts to give you a jump start:

• What's something that unexpectedly went your way today? (Ex. found money on the sidewalk, an appointment got canceled which gave you time to prepare for a different thing, a friend told you about an awesome opportunity, etc.)

• What does your schedule look like for tomorrow and what are some things you CANNOT forget? (This can help you let go and catch some zzz's)

• Go on a rant about that thing that you've been struggling with or that's really been annoying you. Just let it out!

• What is one of your favorite things to do in your free time and why?

• What is one thing in your life that you'd like to be different? What would you have to do to make it happen? (This can be a SUPER small step.)

• What is something that you're truly grateful for in your day to day life?

• What is something that you really like about yourself and why? (It can be anything! Skills, abilities, something physical, a rare talent, a weird talent- shine a light on it! You deserve it!)

• What is one unhelpful habit you have and how is it causing problems in your life? What is one small step you can take to change it starting today?

Note how you feel before and after you do this. I bet you'll notice a change in a positive direction. 😎

OH and the SNAP Method I was talking about earlier just so happens to have a couple of spots open and you can learn more about it here.