| We talked about my QAPA system during your first e-retreat, today I want to share with you another important discovery I made. There is no more wholesome place to journal than in nature. Four years ago, I was finally able to realise my dream: buying a little farm in the south of France where I could keep a few horses: my very own Green Space Sanctuary. Every opportunity I get, I journal outside. I am often joined by one or more of my Camino de Santiago de Compostela walking retreat guests – spending time in nature is an excellent stress-busting strategy in its own right, and it can dramatically amplify the stress-reducing power of journaling. Quote Today’s quote confirms this: “There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more.” – Lord Byron Affirmation Today’s affirmation is a Melodie Beattie quote: Accept yourself. Love yourself as you are. Your finest work, your best movements, your joy, peace, and healing come when you love yourself. You give a great gift to the world when you do that. You give others permission to do the same: to love themselves. Revel in self-love. Roll in it. Bask in it as you would in the sunshine. If you copy this quote, but rewrite it in the first person: “I accept myself. I love myself as I am. My finest…” it makes a great affirmation. Prompt Create a self-care plan for the coming week that includes journaling in nature at least once. Describe various possible self-care activities and note how journaling about each activity makes you feel. Decide when (at what time) and where you plan to incorporate your self-care activities into your schedule. Planning self-care activities can provide a sense of structure and help you to prioritise your well-being. . Spend 5-10 minutes responding to this prompt in your notebook and for accountability, you can share your self-care plan with me on my “Comments” Instagram post or with our Retreat to ReConnect community. How well do you take care of yourself? You can take my Simple Self-care Quiz to get an idea, if you have time. Action Finally, I’d like to invite you to “give others permission to do the same: to love themselves.” Make someone feel appreciated by writing them a thank you note, or treating them to a quick coffee, complimenting them or inviting them to a walk in the park with you. Such a small act of kindness can make someone feel much better about themself. Do you know what Marie Curie, Frieda Kahlo, Mark Twain, Charles Darwin and Leonardo da Vinci have in common? Apart from their individual contributions to science, literature and the arts, they all kept personal journals. Why not imitate these great minds and develop a powerful stress management habit at the same time? Now is a great time to start a journaling habit, by using my QAPA system. Wishing you a day where stress takes a back seat to serenity! |
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