Get Off The Grid
& Into Your Heart
Looking for more ways for you and your loved ones to “Get off the Grid & Into Your Heart(s)”?? Below are some of our favorite activities that we incorporate into our programs, and that you can use to create more wellness, movement, and resilience in your life. If you have any questions about the following activities or an activity that you’d like to share, let us know by emailing jess@heartyroots.org.
Off the Grid:
These nature-based activities enhance connections to nature, inspire mindful movement, and learn/improve outdoor skills.
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In the Midcoast, we are fortunate to have many great organizations that protect local land and waterways, and create access to trails and recreation opportunities. Here are a few of our favorites: Boothbay Region Land Trust, Midcoast Conservancy, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust. We also have access to State Parks, Town Parks and Wildlife Management Areas. You can also use the following free resources to find more information about these natural spaces:
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“If you can’t tie a knot, tie a lot,” it is sometimes said. However, knowing how to tie one good knot (or even better, 3) can really help you out in a pinch. The knots we use most at Hearty Roots are bowline, trucker’s hitch, and half hitches. Animated Knots is a great resource!
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The beach is an underrated place to go in the winter. It is a place with an abundance of peace. We have several around here such as Popham Beach, Reid State Park and Pemaquid Beach to name a few. It is one of the rare occasions here in Maine where you get to enjoy a beach without the crowds.
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Constellations are the oldest things out there and have a long, storied history behind them. We’re lucky to have visual access to them in our night skies. So cool! There are a few informative, fun, and free constellation apps out there to learn more about our sky:
Additionally, the NASA website has some very neat resources and games. Maybe make your own constellation!
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Our forests and trails are home to a diverse range of animals and many of them leave evidence of their behavior and moments in the form of tracks. Learn more about the tracks you can find while out on your adventures:
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Camping can happen in so many magical places in Lincoln County. Islands on the Maine Island Trail, and Midcoast Conservancy’s Hidden Valley Nature Center are just a few examples Below are a few local resources for renting outdoor adventure gear, buying used gear, and finding lessons or group adventures.
Midcoast Conservancy: XC Ski Lease, Gear Rentals, Clinics, and more.
Woods & Waters Gear Exchange: Reliable Used Gear Store in Brunswick
Side Country Sports: Downhill Ski & Snowboard Rentals
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This can be done anywhere, but the coastlines often gather the most trash There are several preserves that offer waterfront opportunities for clean-up:
Porter Preserve (Boothbay)
Eaton Farm (Wiscasset)
Tracey Shore (South Bristol)
Dodge Point (Damariscotta)
Osborn Finch (Waldoboro)
Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve (Bristol)
Thank you for helping to keep our coast clean!
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Having a fire, especially on a chilly evening, is a cozy way to reconnect with nature. Start your fire by gathering an abundance of materials that are down on the ground and dry. Make a small nest for the spark to catch and slowly build it up. Learn more about campfire safety from Leave No Trace Center For Outdoor Ethics.
We love a good reflective moment at around the campfire, so here are a few prompts to consider the next time your soaking in the warmth from a fire:
What fuels your fire?
What helps you maintain your spark?
What puts it out?
How can you protect your spark?
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Located in Jefferson, this 1,000 acre preserve has over 25 miles of multi-use trails for exploring. Rent outdoor adventure gear, stay overnight in a yurt or cabin, hike, bike, or ski. There are many ways to find your path and adventure at Hidden Valley Nature Center! Post adventure, send your a pic to laura@heartyroots.org with your caption :)
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Adopting a tree (or two) in your backyard or at your favorite local preserve is a great way to connect with your natural surroundings and learn about the amazing trees that are native to Maine. For more information about this immersive activity, visit Project Learning Tree!
If you want to actually adopt a tree in the Maine Heritage Orchard, learn more here.
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Building a fairy house or survival shelter is another great way to actively engage with our natural world. Here are a few fun ones to try out:
15 Best Survival Shelter Designs
Get creative, and have fun! Just remember to be mindful of the impact you have on the natural space you’re in.
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Maine is home to many beautiful and harmonious birds, even in the winter! Keep your eye out for Blue Jays, Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, Brown Creepers, Tufted Titmice, Nuthatches, and so many more! The following are awesome resources for bird watching and identification:
Find your favorite Bird Field Guide at your local library or bookstore!
into your heart:
These mindfulness activities are intended to spark joy, promote mind/body connection, and inspire creative expression.
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What comes to mind when you think of Hearty Roots? An acrostic poem is a fun, creative way to express your take on Hearty Roots. Learn more about acrostic poems, and have fun writing your own!
Here is an example:
Hope
Empowerment
Adventure
Resilience
Transformative
Youth
Relationships
Outside
Optimism
Trust
Silliness
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A check-in is a helpful way to practice both self- and social-awareness. Instead of asking“how are you doing?”, doing a Weather Report is a fun and creative alternative that enhances emotional awareness, increases vocabulary, and builds community.
Here’s how to become your very own internal weather reporter:
Start by noticing and connecting to your breath, exactly as it is in the moment.
Then take 3 deep breaths, with the third potentially being your biggest breath of your day!
Now check in with how you are feeling by checking in our your internal weather — what type of weather are you feeling inside your body right now? Windy? Cloudy? Foggy? Sunny? Hurricane? Calm?
Feel free to share your weather report with those around you to build connection!
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Breathing is a tool we always have in our toolbox. Taking deep breaths helps regulate our nervous system, calms our minds, and relaxes our bodies.
Belly Breathing is a great breath to start learning how to breathe deeper:
A great way to start is by noticing your breath as it is in the moment.
You may choose to close your eyes, soften your gaze, or keep your eyes open, focusing on one point.
Place one hand on your belly and one on your chest.
Inhale, feeling your breath fill your belly. Exhale, letting it all out, feeling your belly fall.
Do this five times and note how you feel after!
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Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskar A, is a series of yoga poses (asanas) that promote mindful movement, release excess energy, and strengthen mind-body connection. It’s also a great way to stretch and strengthen your body.
Here are a few resources for learning more about Sun Salutations and how to move through the poses, letting your breath your guide:
Yoga Journal: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Flowing Through Surya Namaskar A
Refresh Your Monday with a Sun Salutation
Optional reflection: How does your body and mind feel before vs. after?
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Practicing gratitude is a powerful tool that can be used to remind ourselves of the goodness in our lives and make what we have and who we are enough. A neat gratitude practice example is a gratitude jar. This might be especially fun to begin before the new year begins. Write down things that you are grateful for and toss them in a dedicated jar. It is a sweet moment to look back on all your gratitude at the end of the year. A gratitude journal is another option to document all that you are thankful for. Click here for some inspiration!
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A fun, creative, empathy-building activity! Journal, draw, or act out your superhero — whatever form of expression you feel called to create!
What is their superpower?
Who is their best friend?
What do they do for fun?
What do they say to themselves when they get discouraged?
How do they treat others?
How can you be more like the superhero you created?
In words, what do they look like?
Draw them!
Activity adapted from artist/creator/adventure/activist Brooklyn Bell. Check out Brooklyn’s inspiring short film “Becoming Ruby”. It’s about mountain biking, inclusion, identity, and creating your own superhero, and it’s a favorite!
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This is a debrief prompt we like to use at camp and is a way to pause and reflect on an experience.
Rose: What’s something you’re grateful for or that was positive during your experience?
Bud: What’s something you’re looking forward to, or that gives you hope, motivation, or inspiration right now?
Thorn: What is something that is/was challenging or stressful that you could use support more support with?
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Drawing and creative expression boost our memory and strengthen our imaginations. For this activity, we invite you to take a moment to envision your favorite memory in nature. Where were you? what could you see? Who were you with? How did you feel? Now, get creative and draw, build, or even journal about this moment. Anything that gets your creative juices flowing!
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We certainly can’t control everything, but there is a lot that is in our ability to control. It can help to detail some examples of what is within our control and what isn’t in order to help ease any anxieties that don’t serve us. Here’s a great resource with more information and activity variations.
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Mindful eating is a way to slow down and connect more deeply with your food. Where does your food come? How was it grown or made? Who handled this food? Who transported and packaged this food? Slowing down when you eat also helps your brain catch up with your body so you can process food better.
For more information on mindful eating click here.
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This is a helpful grounding exercise if you are feeling untethered or just looking to relax. Here’s one take on the activity:
Go outside to a favorite space.
Take a few deep breaths and ground yourself in the space, noticing your surroundings. Now, connect to your senses:
Sight: Look around and find 5 things that catch your attention, make you curious, or strike you as beautiful.
Hearing: Listen for a few minutes and identify 4 different sounds.
Touch: Find 3 different textures that you can feel
Smell: Try to notice 2 different smells around you
Taste: This one can be challenging, but give it a try! Take a big breath in and notice the cold air passing over your tongue, down your throat, and into your lungs. Can you notice any taste in the air? As you exhale, notice how the air has been warmed up by your body, as it passes out through your mouth.
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Nature Mandalas are another creative, peaceful way to connect with nature. Pick out several peaceful objects from nature, place your favorite one in the middle and create some patterns in a circular formation around it. Learn more about the history or Mandala, and find more inspiration here.