10 Things To Do at Any Park

It’s no secret that I’m obsessed w the park.  Any park.  I consider time at the park my second home.  Not only is it necessary to walk my dog, it always makes me feel better when I’m outside in a big open green area on the planet earth.

And, have you heard of Earthing therapy?  Yes, Earthing therapy.  If you haven’t, it’s worth going down the rabbit hole & doing a few google searches.  Simply defined, Earthing therapy is connecting to the earth, because “access to the abundant supply of free electrons in the (subtly negatively charged) ground can help neutralize free radicals—if only we would take off our shoes and access them.” (via)  Basically, take off your shoes & feel the earth w your feet to feel better!   And what a better place than the park to do it.  Earthing therapy is said to help “everything from inflammation and arthritis to insomnia and depression.” (via) Interesting right?  When my toes are in the sand or I’m floating on water, my mind is at peace, so I’ll jump on board with Earthing therapy – why not? I might get hives all over my back from fertilizer & bug bites, but lets do this.

If you can’t wrap your head around Earthing therapy or you don’t have a dog, I can see where going to the park seems pointless.  What are you supposed to do there?  But the fact that some people don’t know what to do at the park – freaks me out.  I love it so much.  I’ve come up with a few ideas to keep you busy.  Next time you’re visiting a city, you’ll want to add one of the big parks to your list of things to do.   And if you haven’t explored your own city parks, hopefully this list will give you the motivation to get out there.

10 Things to Do at Any Park

1. READ: When the weather is right, head to the park with a little blanket & a book you’ve been wanting to read. Finding time to prioritize reading is tricky, but reading is a great activity to make a habit.  Doing it at the park will become your new hobby.
2. WALK:  Most parks have a trail of some kind, even if it’s small take your time walking through it, maybe w music in your ears. Pandora Station “Jennifer Lopez” anyone?
3. STRETCH: I know stretching can sound weird – like who goes to the park & tries to touch their toes as a fun Saturday afternoon?  But I accidentally figured out that sitting under a shady tree, the breeze hitting your face, stretching your body – feels like heaven on earth.  Stretching, wiggling, & moving is incredibly underrated.
4. SOCCER: I cringe at this idea because I played soccer all through high school & am proud of my skills, but when I brought a ball to the park w the intention of showing off? Wafiq appeared to have a few talents himself.  Highly annoying.  BUT, bring a ball & start kicking.  It’s like a workout without trying.  If you don’t have a ball, bring a frisbee!
5. PICNIC: Make a picnic as small as a bag of chips OR as gourmet as sandwiches, bbq, wine & cheese.
6. PODCAST:  I always throw a podcast in my headset & literally sit at the park for an hour with it.  I’m constantly playing catch up w podcasts & being at the park is a great way to knock them out.  Ideally walking at the same time to get exercise in the mix.
7. DIY WORKOUT: I used to be the pro at DIY workouts, check out my video (here).  You can do this too!  Making my own, simple routine is actually my favorite kind of workout.  There’s no pressure or expectation, I love it.  (This is also a great tip if you have a lot of anxiety.  When mine is peaking all day, I throw on my shorts, hit the park & workout until the anxiety build up is out of me.)
8. JOURNAL:  Consider journaling, even if it’s only a few words.  I take my walks around the park & ideas often pop in my mind so I quickly write them down.  I like using the notes app on my phone.  Or, if you meditate or want to try, consider doing it at the park. I haven’t been successful at mediating, but admittedly haven’t given it a fair shot.
9. MEETINGS: Wafiq & I have meetings.  We work together so we decided to start having meetings to make sure we’re always on the same page (communication is key to spending so much time together).  When the weather is great or we’ve been stuck in the house all day, we take our meetings to the park bench.  I had a wonderful boss that would do this w our weekly meetings when the weather was nice… We loved it & it was the best team I’ve been a part of – coincidence?
10. LUNCH BREAK: People who work through their lunch breaks or have lunch at their desk amaze me.  I was NEVER that employee. I’m too stubborn to rationalize working for anyone, for free, at my desk, during lunch.  (honestly, fuck u.)  All my coworkers did it, I was even teased that I didn’t, and pretty much always felt pressure to either eat at my desk or go sit in a restaurant w coworkers.  Ew.  I always took my lunch outside, preferably at a big open park – ME TIME.  The one hour in the day I could be outside, breathe in the air, and feel alive.

At first, these ideas might seem a little bland since we’re not 12 years old, but you guys!  We need to take some tips from our 12-year-old selves.  I found my old journal & read through posts I wrote when I was in my teens that inspired me, now.  Remember when we were young & we didn’t have our own money for restaurants & alcohol – so we played?  We didn’t have 36,893 shows on Netflix, we had our backyard.

We were so creative then!  I don’t know about you but I had a lot of FUN & was definitely busy.  No binge watching tv, no fancy food, no mixed drinks – just wide open space.

I’m trying to tap back into those more simple activities.  I was inspired by Yoga, moving our bodies in ways we haven’t since we were kids.  Relating that thought to activities we haven’t done since we were kids.

Spring is the perfect time to get out & explore the parks!  Now is the time!

What’s your favorite park, even a little local one… And what do you do there?

Have a great week & be thoughtful!

Xx

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