In my neighbourhood I’ve been observing an increasing number of people walking along the harbour path with binoculars and cameras with telephoto lenses. They tell me they’ve seen hawks, cardinals and a bald eagle, along with the usual assortment of chickadees, bluejays, sparrows, starlings and merganser ducks. These are our typical winter birds, so why are the birdwatchers multiplying?
As we mark the one year anniversary of Covid restrictions in Nova Scotia I think people are craving adventure. At a time when we can’t travel, there is more than one way to go on a journey. The birdwatchers are getting ‘micro’.
I hope you will find the following suggestions helpful for creating the sense of travel – without leaving home.
- Getting ‘micro’. Choose a small portion of your regular walking or running route and look closer. What have you been overlooking? Are there gems there you’ve never noticed before? Try to notice three to five new things.
- Vary your route. My dog and I have two basic routes in our neighbourhood. What if I walk down a different street now and then, or turn left at the path instead of right? As the pandemic has continued, I have gotten into a habit of automatic pilot when I leave the house.
- Plan an excursion or trip in your area. We are planning a few hiking and camping adventures in our home province this summer. Half the fun of travel is in the planning, as it gives us something to look forward to.
- Cook food that celebrates the places you would like to travel to. The possibilities for this are endless!
Writing prompt: When I take a closer look …
Try writing for five to ten minutes in response to this prompt, ‘When I take a closer look’. Remember to keep the pen moving. Don’t try to write anything profound and don’t edit or check your work. Just keep writing freely. As a journal writer, the experience of the words flowing onto the page can help me to get unblocked, to create a sense of a journey, even if it is only in my mind.
How can I help?
If you or your team are feeling stuck, stressed, disconnected, or all of the above, contact me. We can design a session or series of creative, hands-on sessions that will provide an opportunity to de-stress, renew and reconnect. Trust me, it will do wonders for your bottom line when your team is more engaged, productive and innovative.
