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.
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)