motivation but no action yet
This site is causing me to look harder...something I should have been doing long ago, as I settled in here. But, I didn't and the piddly observations so far...which amount to listing of the most scrofulous sort, have served to emphasize how little time I have to stop and smell the roses. I have not had a purpose driven nature walk since I started on this site and that is terrible.
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That kind of elevated focus is one of the reasons the site exists! If it gets people to slow down and appreciate the world a little more, then the site has done its job, regardless of whether anyone records observations.
It's interesting how using iNaturalist and similar tools can enhance ones view of nature... i find that when I am on a nature walk with iNat looking for plants I notice a lot more than I otherwise often would... even though to others on the trails it looks like I am texting and not part of my environment.
It's important to turn off the phone sometimes and just let nature soak in through the senses... but when doing that, you need to leave everything else behind too. The rest of the time it is great to have tools to help understand the way the world is laid out.
I always try for both experiences when out. I will usually reach some point along the walk/hike where I turn off the phone, sit down, close my eyes and just listen for a few minutes and absorb it all. The greatest part of iNat for me, is that it has motivated me to do this more often.
I always take the time to listen, watch, and smell nature even if it's just for 5 minutes. The longer the better to really get in tuned with nature. The slower you walk the more you will see. So many people go so fast and miss a lot. Really take the time to focus on plants and animals and observe what animals do. I don't even have a cell phone but if I did I would have it off. Nature observation is very important to me.
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