Schlosspark Charlottenburg
Bildquelle: Asia Chavdar
Self-coaching Exercise: Discovering your Theme with the help of Nature
Objective: find out what what your current needs, desires, and goals are
It is not always easy to know what you want, what needs to be changed, and what matters to you the most in life. Sometimes, we feel overwhelmed and stressed, but we are not consciously aware of what exactly brings us down and needs to be addressed. Other times, we feel simply lost not sure what our interests and goals in life are. However, the answers are usually right there inside of us. We just need to find ways to bring them to the surface.
Here we offer you an engaging way to get in touch with your true self with the help of the outdoor coaching exercise Discovering Your Theme with the Help of Nature. You can either perform this exercise on your own or contact us to schedule a coaching session with a counselor.
This nature-based exercise will help you get a fresh and clearer perspective on where you are currently standing in life – what topics and areas are in focus for you, what needs to get more attention, or what you might need to let go of.
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First, think of a place out in nature where you will feel comfortable. Plan enough time for this, so you feel relaxed, unhurried and can focus on the exercise better. While this activity takes about one hour on average, it is better to schedule at least half an hour or an hour more in case you need extra time to process your thoughts and insights. Once you have found a suitable spot, take a leisurely walk around the area. Look around and pay attention to what catches your eye and how it speaks to you, in other words what feelings and thoughts the surrounding objects, animals, people, etc. evoke in you. Domäne Dahlem Bildquelle: Asia Chavdar |
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As you are absorbing and processing what you see, find and pick one object for each of the following nine categories: hard, soft, heavy, light, nice-looking, nourishing, even & smooth, spiky, extraordinary Stop and put your objects in front of you so you can observe them. Spend some time studying your chosen items, take them in your hands, feel them, think what they may represent in your life. What do you currently perceive as hard, light, beautiful, etc. in your life. Which category speaks to you the most, produces the most resonance in you? Arrange the items in a pattern according to their priority (e.g. with the object that has the most effect on you in the center or on top of the other objects). Think how they are connected, in what relationship they stand to each other. Take a step back and look at your ensemble. How do you feel about it? Take a moment to think if you want to change the order or position of the objects. You may want to take single objects in your hands again to get a better idea of what they stand for in your life today. What feelings do they awake in you? What thoughts or memories come to your mind? What spontaneous ideas do they encourage? Tipp | | |
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Before finishing up the exercise, take one more look around to see if there is anything else that you would like to add to your objects. Don’t rush and give yourself time to process what you see. If necessary, complete your arranged collection with new items. Once again think what they symbolize in your life and why you feel it is important to include them in your ensemble. Now choose one or two themes that speak to you the most as you consider all the objects that you have picked. Why are these themes important to you? How satisfied do you feel with these areas of your life at the moment? What would you like to change in those areas? What would you rather have stay the same? Maybe there is something that hinders you in these particular areas? Think of what can be done to avoid those obstacles. |
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Before you leave, make sure you take your most resonant object(s) or part of it with you as a way to remind you of what you have learnt about yourself during this time of reflection. When you get home, journal your experiences. It will help you process your insights again, and you might get some new ideas. Additionally, it would be nice to come back to your notes later to see what progress you have made and what needs to be addressed again. |
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Before you leave, it would be a good idea to check the weather and dress accordingly. Make sure you have everything you need with you (a water bottle, your ID, a wallet, sunglasses or an umbrella (depending on the wather), etc) It is better not to carry any bags with and go hands free, so you feel more relaxed and laid-back. Some good locations for this exercise would be places like a farm, a forest, or a park. The more diverse the natural environment in terms of its plants and animal life, the more likely it is to give birth to new ideas and perspectives. Be open and flexible with the place that you choose. If it feels too crowded, think how you can incorporate that into your discovery process. Start watching the people and see what effect it has on you and why. Feel free to use other distractions also as part of the life picture that you are creating. The objects you pick are not limited to inanimate or natural subjects. If you come across something not related to nature (a plastic bottle, a bike, a lost toy, etc.) and it speaks something to you, feel free to use it to help you get an understanding of what themes your life is currently made of. In the same way, keep your eyes open for the animate life around you – the birds, the animals, the people. How do they effect you? And why? What can they represent in your life? If you don’t find a specific object that you feel would be important to you, try to find something similar that would represent the missing object for you (e.g. an acorn or a chestnut to substitute for a stone). |
Reference: Peter, K. (2019). Coachingraum Natur: Draußen Entspannung, Kraft und Lebendigkeit finden - 75 Übungen zum Selbstcoaching. Schirner Verlag. (pp. 30-31)