I decided to do the Awe Walk exercise because I felt it would be a good way to relax with finals coming up and dealing with other activities such as work and extracurricular activities. I first began by going to Fort Phantom lake. I come from a small town and so I grew up around land and would always go to the lake or nearby pond to relax and to clear my mind. So I went out there after classes on Wednesday around 4 o'clock. I spent around an hour out there walking around the bank and listening to the birds chirp and see the fish jump out of the water a few times. I just remember thinking how I wished I had my tackle box and fishing pole. It was a good feeling getting to go back into the country area and immerse myself into a home feeling and get out of town and away from all the horns and sirens. I eventually found a secluded area on the back side of the bank and away from the nearby road so I really felt alone and at peace. It allowed me to forget about all my worries and realize that no matter what there is always time to relax and get away. I was very glad that I took the time and get away because afterwards I couldn't help but smile and remember why I am where I am.
The high place I decided to go to was very limited to where I had access to. So although it may not be the most creative spot I decided to leave the lake and go over to the balcony area of moody and look out towards the clock tower. Around this time is was about 5:30-6:00. Around this time it was about time for the sun to set and it was very beautiful to look out towards that side of campus and see the purple and orange tint of the sky as the sun ever so slowly fell peacefully beyond the horizon. It made me want to pick up my bible and just read about the grace of our lord and savior and how our earth is a beautiful peace of art that he has painted so beautifully on a canvas that we call life. Although it was more urban than what I would usually consider my safe place or ideal place of relaxation, it was way more relaxing than I ever imagined before and I'm glad that I gave it a chance.
More than anything, I think the most amazing and my favorite part of the entire experience was leaving my phone in my truck and not carrying it with me. It is something that always keeps me attached to the world and especially for this experiment, it allowed me to fell even more about peace and remembering that it is always important to leave time to focus and worry about myself. It definitely allowed me to immerse myself more into the psychological benefits of secluding myself and finding that I don't need my phone or other people to be happy.
To conclude, I am very glad I participated in this trial and I can really see the benefits of continuing this exercise in my future. I would encourage anyone who reads this or is struggling with the stresses of life to practice this as well and to feel the peace that surrounds us but we overlook sometimes. I can say that I will continue to do this and am happy to say that I feel it will help me immensely.
Tyler,
ReplyDeleteTaking a walk in nature is something I enjoy doing but life does get busy and it is hard to make the time . I am glad that you were able to relax without interruptions as your phone. I think we can all benefit from a couple of hours of no distractions and just focus on our surroundings and relax. I am definitely going to try this exercise too!
Always as human beings we interact with nature and doing it intentionally will bring many benefits. Nature is part of us as we are part of it. It's almost like having an instinct or positive reaction towards nature. When I visit people in assisted living facilities, I can see how those who have a view of the trees, their attitude is more positive than those who see the walls or bricks.
ReplyDeleteWhat you say “I felt it would be a good way to relax” is a great reality, just as your experience of having grown around land had a lot of meaning for your life.
In addition to what you mention, I think that a person's mood improves as a positive effect of being in contact with nature, and cognitive performance is also increased, which is very opportune with finals. Thanks Tyler for your post!