MZD - Ep 71 A Day in the Life of a Mindful "Citizen Naturalist"

“We can never have enough of Nature.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Welcome to Day 21!

If you've been following along, congratulations, you did it!

For the past 3 weeks we have been on a journey of discovery; one of mindfulness, inner peace, personal growth, and health and well-being through time spent in and with Nature.

This is only the beginning. The purpose of this 21-Day Challenge has been to encourage you to create a new habit of getting outside everyday, viewing the natural world through new eyes. You’ve learned to daily cultivate “Beginner’s Mind” for the purpose of renewing your outlook and restoring your soul.

Hopefully it has helped open your eyes to some things you may not have noticed before and given you fresh perspective on life and the natural world around you -a world full of life and hope, inspiration and encouragement, beauty, and limitless possibilities!

If you weren’t already, perhaps without realizing it, you are becoming a mindful "Citizen Naturalist". I kind of like that term. It means that you love nature, care about the planet, and are actively looking for opportunities to take personal action to protect and participate in nature.

You tend to do things like join organizations like the World Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club or the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. Whenever possible you walk or bike rather than taking the car. You recycle, have bird-feeders in your yard and may even participate in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Basically, you’re a passionate fanatic about Nature! Great! Me too!

So other than that, what does a day in the life of a Mindful "Citizen Naturalist" look like?

If you’ve been following the challenge on a daily basis, you pretty much already know! Here is a general outline of what that life may look like. (Yours may differ a bit, but the principles remain the same).

• Wake up with intention.
• Shower and get dressed and ready for the day with gratitude and mindfulness.
• Spend 5 to 20 minutes meditating. (Morning and evening)
• Prepare your coffee, tea, breakfast and lunch with Beginner’s Mind, fully-present and enjoying each moment.
• Enjoy at least twenty minutes outside walking, running and living in the moment, noticing, observing, appreciating and sharing the experience with others.
• Work, study and play with gratitude and mindfulness. Take mini-breaks during your work time to get up and move around, do a 5-minute meditation, think of something you are grateful for, and regularly ask yourself, “Am I present in this moment?”
• Spend time with family and friends truly listening and being fully present and in the moment. (This means all screens, including the TV, should go “Bye-bye” for at least a significant portion of this golden time together.)
• Read, listen to or watch something inspiring to educate yourself and grow your soul.
• Before falling asleep, reflect on the day, asking, “What went well?” “What blessings and even challenges am I most grateful for?” “What can I improve on tomorrow?”, and finally, always be making plans for your next big Nature Adventure/Outing - Hiking, camping, exploring, fishing, hunting, birding, cycling, swimming, trail-running, etc…?”
• Thank God for the gift and opportunity to live such an amazing life!
• Sleep at least 7 to 8 hours knowing that tomorrow brings another day filled with wonderful opportunities to connect with Nature and enjoy the life you've been blessed with…

What a world we get to live this life in! Planet Earth = Planet Wow! ~ providing everything you need to live a happy, healthy, successful, joy-filled life…

One more thing. You are committed to spending more time outside, and this is fantastic, but there is also a place for bringing the outside inside. For the full Nature effect, it’s good to surround yourself with signs and symbols and reminders of Nature, and things that lift your spirit in your home and work settings as much as possible. Creating your own Nature Zen Den ~ a place where you can go for meditation, stillness, thoughtful reflection, inner healing and exercise or yoga.

If possible, find a place in your home and/or workspace where you can get a little privacy and create a sanctuary of beauty and tranquil simplicity. It should be a place where you can’t wait to go to read and relax, meditate, and just breathe and be…

Set it up so that it brings you a sense of peace, filled with natural things like plants, flowers, stones, pine cones, nature-scented candles, and even a water fountain. It should have plenty of natural light and, again if possible, the ability to open the windows or doors as much to let in fresh air and even birdsong if you are fortunate enough to host wildlife in your yard or neighborhood. You may also want to include a Bluetooth device or stereo system so you can play nature sounds or your favorite meditation music.

One of my all-time favorite living things to include in my nature zen den is bonsai trees! These living works of art provide so much joy and pleasure and help you stay present because they are generally sensitive and respond to TLC and daily light watering, trimming etc.

You can check out our website for resources and more ideas on setting up your own Nature meditation space at Mountain Zen Den's Shop page.

Between getting outside on a daily basis, and having this indoor retreat center in your home and place of work where you can go for meditation and relaxation, your life will be set up for amazing success in dealing with stress and challenges, and just being overall healthier physically, mentally and emotionally.

That’s it! Get outside again today for the sheer joy of it!

But don’t stop there!I encourage you to keep on keeping on because there’s a whole Universe out there awaiting you with open arms, filled with wonders and beauty and blessings galore!

Meet you on the trail!

Checklist for Day 21

☐ MEDITATION: Day 21 – “A Day in the Life of a Mindful ‘Citizen Naturalist’” (Listen on iTunes or here at Mountain Zen Den.)

☐ NATURE WALK: Enjoy 20 minutes in Nature today as a mindful Citizen Naturalist.

☐ JOURNAL: What did you discover as a result of taking the 21-Day Nature Challenge? How will you continue the habit of spending mindful time in Nature for inner peace and personal growth?

☐ Email us at Mountain Zen Den and share your experience for a chance to win a free Mountain Zen Den T-shirt! What did you like best about the program? What could we do differently to improve it for future 21-Day Nature Challenges?

Thanks again!

Brett & Melissa