Q # 13 - 30 Days of Insight

Welcome to my backyard and my “third place” during quarantine.

Your first place is your home.

Your second place is where you work (which might also be at home, right now!)

Your THIRD place is where you go to unwind, feel supported, re-charge or relax.

Where is that place for you?

Before we all started quarantining, you might’ve already had your “third place” identified and part of your daily or weekly routine.

Such as:

• Your gym
• Starbucks or a coffee shop
• A friend’s house
• A yoga studio
• An indoor pool for your morning swim
• A bookstore or environment with beautiful music
• Dog park
• A "Cheers" type bar or restaurant
• The local park 

No matter how much you love your home or office, you still need a place to get distance and perspective. That’s the benefit of a third place!

An ideal “third place” will make you feel rested and rejuvenated, by the way. If you end up feeling drained, it’s not the best place for you.

OK, so you’re probably working from home AND living there, too!  Where on earth can your “third place” be right now? Step outside and turn your outdoor patio or yard into a rejuvenating 3rd place!  

Start with one small corner and set up a table and chairs for outdoor meals or reflection time.  In our yard, we have a SINGLE chair at the end of the pool. That’s the place I go to when I want to put my feet up, be quiet, and reflect on the day.  In fact, many of the daily insight questions occurred to me while sitting in that chair. 

If you don’t have a yard, you could create a “third place” in a corner of your home.  For example, set up a reading nook that feels like a cozy escape or a place to unwind. One of my clients is setting up a home gym (with basic equipment), in her garage, which is an excellent “third place”.  Get creative and see what comes to mind!

Another idea is to sit in your car (go for a drive or not) and listen to music, be quiet and change your surroundings.

A favorite client, living in the mountains, sent me a picture of her third place and it's spectacular!   (If this inspires you, start dreaming about places you could live where going to your 3rd place is as easy as stepping outside.)

One of my other clients, with 4 kids, is using her closet as a MUCH NEEDED "third place"!  We mapped out her plan, last week, and now it's a cozy little den for her to meditate and relax.

If you are creative, you can make anything happen.   

ps. if you're thinking "third place, what?????  What happened to the 2nd place?  Work and home feels like one big place right now", make sure you have some boundaries around your work space (at home) so it feels like a 2nd place.  Don't let it all merge together.  I'll say more about that another day.  

JOURNAL PROMPT:

Before the quarantine started, where was your “third place”. How do you usually feel when you are there? If you didn’t have one, where would you like it to be in the future?  Right NOW, where is your “third place” or where can it be?