Riding with the rainbow

A quick trick I use while biking or really anywhere to see the world around me and calm down.

Author

Ellen Oshinsky
June 03, 2024

OMG. It’s June. 

Someone suddenly cued the sunlight. And the pollen. And a whole array of delicious flowers and scents.

It’s like one big feast as I ride!  

And when it comes to inviting in the summertime, I love to pause and really take in the colors. 

I shared this trick a few months back, but so many of you are new to Circle and Spoke’s Monday Musing plus it’s PRIDE MONTH, so why reinvent the wheel???

Plus for those of you who saw it months ago, perhaps a little reminder and returning to the power of a rainbow ride might be quite juicy and delicious! 

One of my favorite activities to ground myself … I learned it from a 7 year old! 

Three years ago, as an environmental educator, a kid shared about an activity they learned in school that day. Seeing the rainbow. 

The child invited me to find all the colors, one at a time of ROYGBIV (aka from Red to Violet). He shared this activity really calmed him. 

He explained: all you have to do is mentally take note of the colors of the rainbow in the space around you, one at a time.

What are all the things you see right where you are that are red, then orange, then yellow, then green, then blue, then indigo, then violet! Each color one at a time in the space around you. Oh… It calms me too!

I love to do this while biking, but also do it while taking a walk or waiting at a stoplight. 

Try it out right now!

What do you see in the space around you that’s…

  • red

  • orange

  • yellow 

  • green 

  • blue 

  • indigo

  • violet

Drop me a line at [email protected] to share what you discovered at the end of the rainbow ;-)

Wheels up & Happy Pride,

Ellen

PS- I’m opening registration this WEDNESDAY for Pedal, Paddle & Pause: An Outdoor Escape. This day long retreat up in Harper’s Ferry, WV is for outdoorsy gals who are looking to take a juicy juicy pause in community, in nature, while getting a little wet and wild biking and whitewater rafting. It’s gonna be a blast!

Stay tuned for an extra juicy email this Wednesday with the link to register and an early bird special!