Yardwork/Gardening

Selfcare Emergency Meter: Overhaul
Time Commitment: 1 hour increments; ongoing

Relaxing- a mysterious phenomenon people may accomplish during that elusive construct known as "free time"

So, one goal I have for this summer is to learn how to "relax."  It really is as mind-boggling as the definition I have written above.  I have 18 consecutive years of education under my belt as of now.  I am good at school.  Now, I want to be good at relaxing!  I need it!

In the past couple of weeks, I have found working in my yard to be intrinsically rewarding and, quite possibly, relaxing. 

A bit of background about my yard:

It is shared by 6 people who live in the house.  It has been a site for storage and/or accumulated junk from people that have lived there in the past: car doors, bathtub, tires, etc. Six people are renting the house, but rarely does anyone want to put their time, money, or energy into the yard since we don't own it.  I have decided (maybe because I enjoy Better Homes and Gardens waaayy too much) that I want to adopt the yard and make it an enjoyable place to hang out.

Procedure: Get to know the area you're working with first.  I sit in the yard a lot and look at it.  I enjoy the breeze, the occasional sunshine streaming through the leaves, and the odd, wooden, bobbin-like piece of furniture we use for a table (see picture).  I spend time with the yard, building a relationship around my belief in its potential.
Next, begin a 3-phase process with small, measurable (and achievable) steps within each phase that will foster your own success. This part was very helpful for me to organize my thoughts; it's easy for me to get overwhelmed by looking at the big picture too quickly.  The three phases are: Break-down, Rebuild, and Polish. Break-down, for me, consists of getting rid of items in the yard, weeding, pruning, and getting the lawn mowed so I can see what I'm working with.  Rebuild consists of delineating where flower beds will go and blocking areas off, then repairing the lawn by planting grass seed.  Polish is the fun part because it's when I get to plant things in the flower beds and add nice things to lawn (patio chairs, etc.).  It's good to remember that that phases do not always go in perfect order and each can be repeated as needed.  The phases provided a structure to motivate action, and are definitely not rigid.

Throughout the process, I am striving to be cost-effective, not only because it's smart, but because it's really my only option! :)  I am utilizing friends and craigslist.  I have borrowed yardwork equipment from friends, and have received plants from friends' gardens.  I have been selling the random stuff out of the yard on craigslist.  I have also been scouring craigslist's "free" section as well as their "farm and garden" section.  Additionally, I answered a lawn-mowing advertisement on craigslist and had the lawn mowed for $20, AND I got valuable advice from him on my next steps with the yard as well as things to be weary of.

Wow, that's a lot of words for today!
Let's get on to why this is wonderful!

Why this is wonderful: It attends mainly to movement and sight. 
I feel really good when I'm working in the yard.  Raking, weeding...bending, stretching, reaching.  The work is great for my body.  My muscles feel it afterward and I didn't have to go to the gym.  Also, this movement is good for re-discovering that connection between my mind and body.  Refreshing.  As for sight, the space becomes much more welcoming and comforting when you can see the care put into it.  It's incredibly rewarding for me to see the tremendous amount of progress I have made in a short time. Yes, some things take more time (like grass growing...), with delayed sight-gratification, but that is great too!  Gardening and yardwork are amazing practice for cultivating patience. And one could never have enough patience....

Fiction!

Selfcare Emergency Meter: Pick Me Up
Time Commitment: 45 min.+ increments

Summer break is here--yippee!  You know what that always seems to mean to me? Reading for fun! During the semesters, it's almost unheard of to dip into an engrossing book of fiction even once, due to the large amount of required reading from textbooks and articles I have to do for my classes.  But, now,  <sigh> it's time for fiction.

Procedure:  Oddly enough, it all starts with a book!  Choose one from that dusty stack on your desk that's been waiting months for you to give it some attention.  OR borrow a good one from a friend.  That's my favorite, because then you have someone to talk with about the book during suspenseful parts!  OR check out your public library, those are always fun to explore, and librarians are usually pretty good at helping you find a book that you will enjoy (it is their job!).  OR hit up your local used book stores or thrift shops.  I always find hidden treasures for cheap in those places.

When choosing a book for selfcare, I recommend going for a topic that is not directly relatable to your current situation in life.  For example, I am not going to choose books about student life.  I'm trying to let that subject rest a little in my brain--remember, it's my summer break! Science fiction is something I really enjoy reading for selfcare.
Next, find a comfortable, welcoming place for the reading to take place.  I like to read in the morning, coffee in hand, sitting in a chair in the yard, soaking up sunshine.  Or, snuggled up on the couch, with a super soft blanket, and a kitty curled up on my lap.  Do what works for you--be mindful of each thing contributing to your comfort.  Notice what you're doing.

Lastly, keep your mind open while you're reading.  Open for learning.  I feel like I learn the most about life, culture, relationships, etc. when I am reading science fiction. Just because we are reading fiction, doesn't mean we can't learn from it.  It's all about metaphors. :D

Why this is wonderful:  It attends to your BRAIN!  Reading fiction allows one to escape their current reality for a bit and gain a different perspective on their life at the same time.  Not to mention reading, in general, is good for increasing your vocabulary whilst giving you interesting things to talk about with people.  Success!

*Note: first book pictured (A Separate Reality by Carlos Castaneda) is actually deemed non-fiction.  I included it because it reads like fiction :)