Taking Time Outside Can Improve Your Outlook & Attitude
Have you had an honest mental health check-in since 2020 began? The state of the world has been unlike any time in our own lifetimes, and the chaos, confusion, and difficulties that have come with it can be hard to process. Even if you are feeling great – which I hope you are – there is always a need for some peace, joy, and a simplistic reset of our minds. With all the hustle and bustle that this year has brought with it’s ever changing guidelines and adaptations, travel may have been added to the back burner. Traveling is therapeutic, but with trips canceled left & right, how can you be sure that you are getting the break that you need and desire?
Travel is a way of self care. But, you don’t have to take an airplane ride or leave the country and get a passport stamp to get that same feeling of peace, adventure, and relaxation. In fact, if this quarantine has taught us anything, it’s that the small things should never be taken for granted. Just getting outside and connecting with nature is a HUGE way to reset your mind and give yourself a little taste of adventure.
Its been proven that even just a walk outside or a few minutes soaking in the sun can lessen your feelings of anxiety and depression – which is an amazing feat! The sun has literal healing powers and can assist in releasing endorphins that lessen your stress reactors. Whether you take a walk, plan a workout, or get away for a weekend of camping – the outdoors is an open, free, and incredibly beautiful way to get your mind off of the troubles you may be facing and take in a breath of fresh air (literally and figuratively!)
Consider the feeling of watching the sky change colors with a striking sunrise or sunset. Think about the joy when you catch that pod of dolphins jumping carelessly. Imagine how good your body will feel after a 2 hour hike up that mountain you’ve always wanted to climb.
These small joys can be really big monumental moments if we allow them to be. Let’s close out 2020 with great vibes, ample time in nature, and a resetting of our mind to know that we don’t need extravagant trips to feel like we got a vacation. The time that we allow our brains to shut off to the outside world, even for just a few minutes, is more than beneficial to our mental and physical health. So, where will you be spending some time outside?