Hey friend,

I want to share something that has been keeping me calm lately. It is a practice I learned years ago at a retreat in a huge cabin tucked deep in the woods of Utah. The leaders gave us a challenge that sounded simple, but it ended up being one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life.

They asked us to go for a thirty minute walk outside. No talking. No planning. No thinking about anything except what we could see. Our only task was to walk around the property and name what was right in front of us. Tree. Road. Pond. Sky. Cabin. Bench. Nothing more. Only what our eyes could land on.

I will be honest. The first time I tried this, it was incredibly difficult. My mind wanted to wander in every possible direction. It wanted to revisit old conversations, rehearse future ones, solve things, and run loops that had nothing to do with the present moment. I had no idea how loud my mind had become until I tried to quiet it.

But as the minutes passed, something softened. And in that softening, I experienced a truth that has shaped so much of my work today.

Our ability to be present is directly connected to how safe we feel. Safety is not only emotional or mental. It shows up in the body. When the nervous system trusts that nothing is about to collapse, presence becomes possible. And when presence becomes possible, calm has room to return.

That walk taught me that presence is not a mindset. It is a physical experience. It is the body saying I am here, and I am okay in this moment.

Over the years, I have come back to this little exercise many times. Especially during seasons when everything feels loud or rushed or overwhelming. It brings me back into myself in the simplest way. It reminds me that calm does not come from forcing stillness. It comes from noticing what is already here.

If you feel pulled to try this, you only need five minutes. Step outside or look around your home and quietly name what you see. Not what you think or what you fear or what you want to fix. Only what is right in front of you. It might surprise you how much shifts when your mind has permission to settle into the present.

If you try this activity today, let me know! How was your experience? Easier, harder, more relieving than you imagined? Have you tried anything like this before, or does something in this story speak to you today? You can reply directly to this email and let me know what comes up for you. I always enjoy reading what you share.

With calm and care,
Kimberlie