Getting the Stress of the World Out of Mind

Found Things Collection

Who hasn't wandered the beach or woods and picked up little found treasures to stash away? Perhaps a sea shell, piece of driftwood, or feather found their way to you. Or a bit of smoothed sea glass, pebbles, eucalyptus bark, or aged piece of metal captured your interest and imagination worthy of taking with you. 

What is it about us, that lures us into seeking these treasures and hauling them home?

Perhaps we seek these treasures as they provide us with a sense of comfort, belonging, and awe. Perhaps they allow us to ponder the wonders of the world, our ancestors, and how these bits of found treasures landed in this place at this time. 

Or perhaps we gravitate toward finding worry stones or bits of string we can take out now and then to look upon to remind us to relax and let go of the stress of the world.

Gathering with a Purposeless Sense of Flow

 Free-flow exploration is a therapeutic activity that lets us leave the worries of the world far behind us.

When we're in a treasure hunting mode, the stress of the world is out of mind as we slip into a purposeless sense of flow and focus.

Many a time I've been sucked into sea shell hunting on a beach for hours. No matter how stressed or burdened I was, the moment I arrive at the beach, the smells, sand, wind and waves puts me back to an earlier stage of life when I freely explored the world around me with awe and a sense of flow, rather than a sense of purpose. 

And as I move into the flow of purposelessness, my breathing slows and gets in sync with the ebb and flow of the waves, creating a sense of calm within me. 

Through the simple act of exploring purposelessly I am brought back to living in the moment, and I am one with nature. In that moment the stress of the world disappears from view.

 Purposeless Exploring Reminiscent of Unfettered Days

Any activity can serve as purposeless exploration--as long as you have no expected goal or outcome from engaging in the activity. 

It is your sea shell hunting frame of mind that makes it good for getting the stress of the world out of your mind. It is a mind-set reminiscent of the unfettered days of childhood play.

When I'm sitting with pen in hand looking for the hidden beings in a photograph I am sea shell hunting. I have no expectation for what I am going to find, I am just enthralled in the process of looking and seeing what emerges.

Keep the Stress of the World from Overwhelming You

To keep the stress of the world from overwhelming you, regularly engage in purposeless quests. Be curious. Let your interests suck you into free-flow exploration like a day of sea shell hunting.   

Consider:

💓House hunting without thinking about buying a house; 

💙Job hunting without thinking about getting a job; 

💚Dog searching without thinking about bringing one home;

💛Exploring down town without thinking about buying anything;

💜Hiking a new trail without thinking about how fast or how far you go;

💓Taking a trip to the beach without any plans.

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

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