waterfalls | I Just Gotta Share…

When life becomes stressful, we all have coping mechanisms. Some are better than others. Some are healthy and beneficial; others not so much. Sure, I can list numerous wonderful coping mechanisms, and describe their attributes and drawbacks, but no matter how you cope during challenging times ~ you already know if it is helpful or detrimental. You don’t need me to validate what you already know. Therefore, I am not going there, I’m just going to share with you one of my favorites:

WATERFALLS

Sure, flowing water is fabulous but nothing beats a full fledge WATERFALL gushing over a ledge, filling the air with its deafening roars as it plunges towards the earth.

Lately, I have had my share of stress. You know the kind of stress that has every cell in your body vibrating to where it seems like you will never have a clear and focused thought again. At these times, there is no filter, there are just too many “things” pulling us in every direction. During these moments, I surrender to Mother Nature because I know she will soothe and center me, especially waterfalls. All I have to do is sit near a waterfall for 5 minutes and it magically helps me release all the stress caught up in my mind and body. There are moments when I can actually feel the liberation of the stress flowing out of my cells.

Luckily for me, I live close to dozens of waterfalls. In fact, one of my favorite hikes is less than a mile from Mathew’s school. So, I can drop him off and hike for 5 minutes, or a half hour, or more, it really depends on my schedule for the day. And after my waterfall fix, I can face the day with focus and attention.

What do you do for stress? Please share and I continue to share.

Magical

I love being outdoors and communing with nature. However, if the temperature dips under 20° F, I am not going out. Yes, I am a wimp. I have always known this, but living in western New York, it has become ever so apparent. I keep running into hardy women who are 15 to 20 years my senior, who look at me strangely, when I tell them that I don’t hike on days colder than 20° F. They simply say – “Just put on another layer dear.” Well folks, no matter how many layers are on this body, it’s too damn cold. On days I walk to yoga from my car, just a couple of blocks, my lungs hurt from the cold air, even though I have a scarf covering my mouth and nose in an attempt to warm the air.

This winter has been brutal, but I did find some days to go out and hike. Recently, I visited some of my favorite spots. The ice was treacherous, making most paths impassable, but magical nonetheless.

The Universe is calling me outside when I wake up to winter blue skies and it’s warmer than 20° F.

You would never know that there was a path on the other side of the bridge. The ice was so thick it would have been easier to skate on it, than to walk on it.

You would never guess that there was a path on the other side of the bridge. The ice was so thick it would have been easier to skate on it, than to walk on it.