Unfailingly, there is a small corner of my world which feels like an affectionate hug from a place where the noise of life fades away and I can be just me. I would say it is my tiny balcony in front of my apartment, with a view over a small city park. Well, that’s not a great deal of stuff there only a handful of potted plants, a slightly shabby wooden chair, and a view of the trees that are moving with the breeze but it’s still my refuge. In fact, the whole Earth starts to rotate slower the moment I exit there by taking my coffee mug along.
In those early hours, coffee and grass produce their aroma that goes into your nostrils, and at the same time, the sound of the machines and the birds can be heard, which is kind of an urban lullaby. This is the place that I would have called my comfort zone, my place to relax my mind, and the place where I felt like self.
Although the view or the fact that the place was quiet did not make it a great one, it was the ritual that did. I normally, every morning, make sure to find some time to be there. Sometimes I take a book with me, or sometimes I just look at the sea. I let my mind wander freely as it were, no notifications or pressure of the to do lists disturb me. It is the place where I digest the big things that is work stress, family worries, or those incessant questions of the right direction of life.
There is something about nature, even if it is a small way, that keeps me connected to the ground. The wind on my face, the sound of the leaves it is like the nature that is telling me to breathe and to let go of that which is out of my control.
Actually, I have started sharing this experience with people, not by taking them to my balcony (though I have invited friends for a coffee there), but by supporting them to find their own way to this place. I tell them that it does not have to be a magnificent one a park bench, a cozy chair by a window, or even a quiet corner of a café can do the job.
The most important is to be consistent and to have a goal. I make it a habit, I say. Even if it is only for ten minutes a day, be there for yourself. You may bring a journal or not. You may listen to music, or just hear the sounds of nature around you. For me, it is about making a special time that I am not performing or producing, just living.
Sometimes I choose to share a short story of my balcony times on my social media not as a brag, but just to let the vibe out. For instance, I was watching a nimble squirrel that took one of my cherry tomatoes from the plant, or I got a small rain on me but I was feeling oddly calm under the awning. People really do relate to that unfiltered truth phase, they would drop me emails about their own "comfort spots", like the lakeside trail or a favorite armchair. It keeps us all in mind that we still crave these moments of refuge, even if we don't necessarily give them our first priority.
My real perspective? Comfort is not only a place; it is a decision to take a break and have a reunion with your inner self. My balcony is just the scenery. The transformation takes place when I decide to be present, every single day. So, get your spot, personalize it, and spread the news to someone else maybe it is the only thing that would turn their day around.
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