Nudged: Lie in the grass

In a previous round, a Nudge to “Take a Mental Health Day” led to my lying in the grass and watching the clouds go by, so I wanted to do it again. And, as I was thinking about how I might delight all my senses in round 4, this checked all the boxes: feeling the warmth from the sun, smelling the grass (especially fresh-cut), looking for shapes in the clouds.

You get the idea. Let’s get outside this week.

P.S. If anyone has a ladybug crawl on them, I want to hear! 🙂

What Happened: Early in the week, the weather didn’t cooperate: it was too cold out. So I soaked in a hot bath instead. I headed into our backyard one afternoon, but was discouraged by the possibility that dog poop was lurking in the tall grass. Nope. I was ready to throw in the towel on this Nudge.

Instead, on Friday morning, I decided a walk on the beach would give me the same benefits, so Bear and I bundled up and drove to our favorite spot. The sound of the waves, the crunch of the sand, the tingling from the breeze were all good, but my pup was acting up, and it wasn’t the relaxing experience I craved. Discouraged, we headed back home.

And then…before heading upstairs and back to work, I glanced out at the small strip of grass in our side yard. A few minutes later, I was lying on the damp ground, watching the clouds drift by, feeling a soft breeze on my skin, and listening to planes, trains, automobiles, and my dog’s panting in my ear. “I love this,” I said out loud.

The Ah-Hahs: I’m proud of myself for not giving up, for looking for alternatives and succeeding in this lovely Nudge. Restorative. That’s how this felt after less than 10 minutes of lying in the grass. I did go back to work after this, and I felt calmer and more focused than I have all week.

Who needs a spa when I have have this just outside my back door?