S.I.T. Day 20: The Great Outdoors for Mental Health, & Vitamin D
Never in a gazillion years did I ever think that this was #goals but… I’m going to make it a habit of going outside everyday. The pandemic shifted my life to the confines of my apartment where I teach Pilates – virtually. I take Pilates and Spanish lessons – virtually. And I get my arts and culture – virtually. And if I’m too lazy to go grocery shopping, it’s Seamless.com to the rescue! I only need to go outside on Tuesdays and Thursdays because I recently started renting space at a Pilates studio to teach a limited number of students. This is the polar opposite of my pre-pandemic life.
For most of the pandemic, though, I had a dog named Brooklyn. And thank god! Because of her, I used to take multiple walks per day, including one long walk in the park. While there, Brooklyn would remind me to absorb nature through all of my senses, to be curious about the seemingly most simple things, to play without inhibition, and to be open and approachable to strangers seeking connection (albeit mostly with her). Ultimately, we’d deposit ourselves on a park bench to soak up the sun, breathe the fresh air, and become ardent spectators of the goings-on in Fort Greene Park. I remember how from the comfort of my lap, she’d cock her head upwards and look at me with her wide smile and flapping tongue as if to say, “Thanks, mom!”. She loved being outside. And in those moments with Brooklyn, my typically restless spirit could be still, fully present and living in the moment.
Brooklyn died on Dec 13th at 17yo and I’m finding it so hard to find reasons to leave my apartment in the unwelcoming cold of a NYC Winter. But it’s time to gear up, get a life and enjoy the outdoors; at least for my mental health and the vitamin D.
31 Days of Soaked in Thought
S.I.T is an invitation to SIT with yourself – for a few minutes per day – to think your thoughts, feel your feels & express your emotions with a JOURNALING RITUAL. For the entire month of Jan, I’ll be posting daily journaling prompts as a source of inspiration. Ring in the New Year by getting #soakedinthought
