This Sunday we are doing something a little different and gathering to hike and clean, and I wanted to share a little more of the heart behind why we are creating this kind of space.

On the surface it is simple, it’s a space for people to be together, and in a lot of ways that is honestly enough. We have been using cleanups over the last two years as a reason to be together and to have something to do together, nothing about that is complicated, and at the same time something meaningful happens each and every time. There is also a bit more consideration put into the themes and activities, and as we keep exploring that there was this opportunity to try out moving from the beach to the trails to see what else is possible.

There is a concept in psychology called behavioral activation which basically means when you take small, meaningful actions your brain and body begin to shift. You may feel a little less stuck and a little more like you can actually do something about what is in front of you. When we notice something on the ground and choose to pick it up, we complete a small loop of attention and action, and our body registers that as movement and participation instead of helplessness.

Research around prosocial behavior connects in a similar kind of way, when we contribute to a shared space, even in very small ways, our sense of belonging grows, our well being grows, we remember that we are part of something and not separate from it. Caring for a place together can begin to reshape how we experience that place and how we experience ourselves within it.

Brené Brown writes about shame as the feeling that we are not worthy of love and belonging, and how that feeling grows in disconnection and begins to soften in shared and meaningful experiences. When we stand side by side and care for a place together there is a possibility for a shift inside of us, from seeing everything that is wrong in the world to remembering that we can participate in caring for it, and less from guilt or pressure and more from a grounded sense of responsibility and care and purpose even.

There is also something important about the physicality of it, the walking, the bending, the reaching, the lifting, the carrying, the rhythm of those movements brings us back into our bodies and into the present moment, it becomes a kind of moving mindfulness where care is expressed through what we do with our hands. In some cases it’s also a reminder of what we can not do on our own. This is where the inclusivity is really important because in reality not everyone will or can participate in the same way and there is intentionality that everyone can still participate in some way.

So the hope for this weekend is simple and layered at the same time, to notice, to care, to share space, to move our bodies, and to practice being people who respond with care to the places we move through.

I also want to say that when we talk about psychology it can be easy to make blanket statements, and there are always caveats, not every practice is accessible to every body or every season of life, which is why we are continuing to try to create different kinds of spaces so more people can participate in ways that feel possible for them.

If you find yourself outside this weekend you can practice this in your own way, notice what is around you, pick one small thing to care for, carry it with intention, and let that be enough.

I thought it would be fun to share the simple reflection and activity we will be using with the rock and the cleanup in case you want to try it wherever you are!