Pick a Place

While developing Strolls for Well-being at ISU: Press Pause & Take a Break, we received feedback that the Strolls are great for those on Campus and in the Ames community, but what about those who are not? Our response is Pick a Place. 

Pick a Place is a series of twelve options for you to engage in your mindfulness practice whenever and wherever it works for your schedule. Perhaps during a neighborhood walk, at a local park, or simply looking out a window onto the natural surroundings.  The twelve options align with the twelve themes that we have used for the Strolls for Well-being at ISU.  

A mindfulness practice can reduce stress and support a sense of well-being. It can help boost your immune system, improve your concentration and help you be less reactive and more responsive, especially in difficult situations. 

Whether you have 5 minutes, 10 minutes or more, give Pick a Place a try. Look over the list of themes below, select one, download the pdf and take some time for you!

• Fall Themes
  • Connection - Connection is a necessary part of being human and an important component of not only surviving but thriving. It’s not only the connection with and between people, but also with the natural world around us.
  • Awareness - Bringing Awareness to this present moment is a first step to being more mindful and releasing unhealthy stress from your daily experience.
  • Transition - Transition and change are a part of everyday life. It is how we engage and learn to work with transitions that impact our experience of the present moment and our outlook on the future.
• Winter Themes
  • Possibility - Bringing Possibility to this present moment brings the infinite options that we always have and are only limited by our own minds
  • Journey - Our Journey to this present moment has included many twists and turns. Explore the paths that you have experienced and the lessons you have learned.
  • Gratitude - Bringing Gratitude to this present moment raises awareness for all which we can be thankful for. Everything from how our heart knows to keep beating to the beauty of nature that surrounds us.
• Spring Themes
  • Joy - The Joy that we experience is directly related to our willingness to pause and notice. Take the time to bring awareness to what is happening right here, right now and the joy that is waiting for you to explore.
  • Forgiveness - Our ability for Forgiveness is a powerful tool that can help us to move forward with grace and compassion or keep us stuck in the past. Take the time to explore the experiences you have had, the lessons you have learned and how you want to move forward.
  • Trust - Experiencing and learning to Trust is essential to having a happy life. We develop trust in others and ourselves by stepping outside our comfort zone and trying something new.
• Summer Themes
  • Reflection - The Reflection that you infuse into daily experiences offers opportunities to notice and then proceed. By pausing and checking in with yourself, you can identify choices and make decisions that positively impact the well-being of you and others.
  • Fulfillment - The Fulfillment that you experience is directly related to your willingness to pause and notice. How you perceive your life is how you see it, how you feel it, how you explore it– it’s what you are grateful for.
  • Freedom - The Freedom that you experience is directly related to the choices that you make each day. You can look at the options available to you and chose how you see your life and how you spend your time.