Leading a Different Life
Minimizing the space between what you spend your time doing and what you want to spend your time doing is something that we all work towards, in one way or another. When life presents you with challenges like:
- Death
- Divorce
- Cross-country move
- End of a career
- Global pandemic
You get to choose. How do you handle whatever the world throws your way? Deciding to spend time outside, go for a hike, or just bask under the sun allow you to see things from a totally different perspective.
We get super personal this week on To The Trails because you asked for it, and well, we all need to hear stories sometimes to realize that we are not alone and that we all are in this together. Despite how cliche that might sound…
Top Reasons to Spend Time in Nature
De-Stress
The chaos of society, family, and a global pandemic makes this a given. Spending time outside is a free and easy way to reset your mental frame of mind.
Convenient times during the day to reset and prioritize your mental & physical health:
- Parking lot walk after lunch at work
- Walk outside if you have a call that can be taken remotely
- Garden after work or on weekends
- Read a book outside rather than in bed or on the couch
- Find a park nearby work and go directly before or after work for a 10 minute walk
- Find a window with a tree outside and just sit in front of it for 5 mintues…no phone
The Views
There is a stellar reward when you get to the top of your hike and one of those, besides the blisters, sweat, and sunburn is the view.
Exercise
A purely physical motive can be an amazing starting point for hiking. You can dive in with an abundance of hobbies including:
- trail running
- ultra trail running
- yoga
- meditation
- hiking
- mountaineering
And one of the best reasons to start with a physical motive is that it’s often completely free and easy to start doing. Taking a physical activity that you already do in the gym or at home is an easy way to start getting outside more, despite the weather situation.
Mental & Physical Challenge
Using hiking as a mental and physical challenge is incredible. The way that you get to prove how truly strong and incredible you are by completing or attempting a hike is unlike any other sport. You can do hard things and hiking is a definite way to show yourself that you are capable of more than you ever imagined.
Choose to do what You Love to do
Finding new ways to explore outside seems near impossible at the beginning, but once you start you realize that the possibilities are endless.
One response to “Episode 7: Home Sweet Mountain Home”
I loved that episode! The messages you share the experiences and your passion… I just love it! Very good advice!