How to use your body to soothe your mind.

Calm Practice

Photography 📷 Walk 🚶🏼‍♀️

Ground yourself in the present while training your brain to focus on life’s beautiful details and glimmering moments.

Here’s how:

1. Take a walk and have your smart phone or camera ready. You could walk outside or even simply around the room.
2. Take close-up pictures of little details you notice, such as fabric, insects, flowers or plants. See if you can notice any interesting textures, light, shadows or angles.
3. Immerse yourself in the present by using your smart phone or camera to bring your focus back to the details around you and your senses. 
4. If you do not have a smart phone or camera, you can still take a walk and focus on all the little details in your surroundings that you find interesting.

I, personally, began this calming practice during the Covid lockdown in 2020 and continue these focused walks nearly every day – whether it’s a movement break around my neighborhood, stress release after a job interview, or to explore a new part of town after a cat care visit! These short time commitments go a long way in feeling calm and relaxed. An added benefit: when you are not able to go for a walk, you can simply scroll through your photos saved on your smart phone (or printed photographs in a photo album) to initiate these same positive emotions.

Reference

Ballagh, R. (2024). Photography walk. 101 Ways to Find Calm: How to Use Your Body to Soothe Your Mind. P. 180.