I have an absolute love for being outdoors and in nature, every single day I try to take myself off somewhere just to be, very often with no destination and no intention. I often lose hours walking or sitting in fields, forests and by open water, I can't quite describe how it makes me feel but we all know that feeling of 'home' and mine is being in nature.
Life is very busy, it always has been and it always will be, but you will find something special within nature..stillness, a calming energy and an infinite space. As we move through our day to day activities we can sometimes feel ourselves becoming overwhelmed or over stimulated by EVERYTHING! Nature is a quiet retreat that we can visit any time for some breathing space, actual fresh air, wildlife, vibrant colour and if we are lucky, some sunshine!
I wanted to share with you some of the benefits of being outside, whether this is going on a full on adventure or just a 10 minute walk around the block. Being outside is so good for us!
Yoga in nature.
This has to be top of the list as we will soon be sharing outdoor classes together again. Yoga in nature is just one of the most beautiful of experiences. Listening to the birds while practicing is so soothing, there is no upbeat music, there isn't any hustle and bustle of studio life there is just SPACE. As soon as we lie or sit down on the mat we feel calm and grounded (thank you nature!). While moving your body you can enjoy fresh air, you can move at your own pace, you can absorb all the benefits of being outdoors...
Learn to re-wild yourself.
Taking yourself (and the kids) out in nature for a few hours can rekindle our ability to re-wild, get your hands dirty, climb trees, smell flowers, bird watch and explore finding interesting mushrooms or wild ingredients.
Find your pace.
Walking, jogging and hiking can all bring ourselves back to a focused mindset, stomping on the ground is really good for grounding stressful and even heightened emotions. Find your pace and enjoy the rhythm, you might find that once you find your pace you can just keep on going. Walking also gives you plenty of time to think, process and release.
Daily dose of Vitamin D.
Did you know we get more than 90 percent of our vitamin D from exposure to sunlight?
Vitamin D plays a huge role in our health and wellbeing and it can become deficient from time to time, it boosts our immune systems, it reduces inflammation and can help us absorb calcium. It also can help regulate our mood swings!
Clear your head.
Sometimes when we are feeling a little overwhelmed take 5 minutes to just get outside, even if it's sitting outside. Nature helps to bring the mind back into focus and aids in clear thinking.
Natural downtime.
Do you sometimes feel as though your body and brain actually need a break? Nature has the most amazing way of releasing tension and stress, fresh air gives you the benefit of boosting the brain. Turn off your phone or even better when you're going for a walk leave it at home. We can go without stimulation for half and hour can't we?
Move away from negativity.
In life we face many different experiences and factors of stress/depression. Living in built up areas can sometimes make us feel overwhelmed and isolated, taking yourself into a beautiful open landscape (the less buildings the better!) your mind will be drawn into the view, the weather, the ocean, the sunset, helping you move away from daytime jobs, worry and stress.
Strengthen your heart.
Walking can be a wonderful way of helping circulation within the body but it can also help our heart health and cardio. Being a practitioner of Yoga I love to tune in and be slow, very often stillness is my main go to. Cardio hasn't ever really been my thing, BUT I love walking, cycling and doing other things to get my heart rate going. We can get the heart rate increased by walking an incline, walking faster, maybe adding a few paces of jogging. Boost your cardio, your way. If you enjoy it, I promise you'll do it more!
Feel that sense of Freedom.
One of the biggest things for me about nature is, its infinite, its spacious, it's always changing and it never expects or asks anything of you. It accepts you as you are, your happy strolls, your tears in the rain, your moments sitting taking in the view, your family picnics and laughter. It is always there as the home and provider of life. Within that surrendering, there is freedom.
I would love to hear how nature and being outdoors makes you feel, for me it's my second home. I feel a sense of safety in dense forests, I adore being by any type of water (my close friends know if I see a lake I have the biggest urge to just jump in!). I lose hours sitting by the sea, I don't do anything, I just sit. I often walk barefoot, my favourite barefoot trek was from The Blue Lagoon to Porthgain in Pembrokeshire.
As each day comes and goes, make the effort to be outside, whatever the weather.
V x