Sit Spot Challenge

Of the many projects I've been meaning to start, the one I've been most eager to undertake is the Sit Spot Challenge, which officially took place in February and March.

I first read about it a few months ago on Roundtop Ruminations. I don't know how best to explain it, so I'll describe the challenge as a series of steps...

1. Pick a place outside to sit. It can be anywhere... the woods, the park, the backyard. This will be your spot -- your sit spot or secret spot. I like the website's description...

Find one place in your natural world that you visit all the time and get to know it as your best friend. Let this be a place where you learn to sit still -- alone, often, and quietly -- as well as playfully explore beyond. This will become your place of intimate connection with nature.

2. Now sit in your spot for at least twenty minutes and don't do anything but look and listen.

3. Afterwards, feel free to photograph your surroundings and write about your experience.

4. Repeat this for thirty days -- returning to the same spot at different times of the day if possible.

I had been putting off the challenge, thinking I would save it as a reward for finishing my other projects -- an attractive carrot at the end of the stick, but lately, I've been feeling stuck. I don't need a carrot, I need a crowbar, and while I'm not absolutely certain, I'm optimistic this challenge can pry me loose.

In the next few days, I plan to scout out potential spots. The first two candidates are the backyard and the neighborhood park, with proximity taking priority over seclusion. Ideally, my spot would be nearby and off the beaten path, but I have a feeling the two are mutually exclusive.