Get Outside

It seems that life has become very complicated. Well that’s an understatement! With work, technology, children’s schedules, socializing, maintaining our overall health, and taking care of elders, just to name a few responsibilities, the layers of complication can really add up. In session, a lot of what I hear people talk about is feeling tired from having too much to do, mostly from doing things they don’t actually want to be doing but feel an obligation to do because of the lifestyle choices they’ve made. It can be hard to reverse course once a path has been chosen. In the past I’ve written about making a commitment to the responsibility of doing what is right for you, really committing to the obligation to live a fulfilling life by doing things you enjoy, not only things you have to do. If you say you want to be healthier, follow through with the steps it takes to become healthier. If you want to keep in touch with loved ones who live far away, make it a point to actually do what it takes to stay in touch. Do these things in whatever ways work for you to ensure you actually feel motivated to do them.

Today I want to talk about obligation to follow through with this life balance, but in a specific way. Because we are all so busy with things we’re obligated to do, we must also be obligated to simplify in order to find balance. 

We as humans, who historically used to be physically active for most of the day, now have reversed that course and spend the vast majority of our time indoors, sitting or lying down. A large portion of people will spend the majority of their time inside, whether it be at home, in a car, or in an office, about 98% of our days are spent inside. 

Researchers estimate that adults who spend as little as two hours per week outside in nature experience significant health benefits, including benefits to blood pressure, anxiety and depression, as well as cognitive abilities like improved memory, and decision-making abilities. Read this blog for 12 reasons why going outside is good for your health. That being said, it is recommended that children spend at least three hours per day outside, at the least. There are several reasons why being outside is important for children, including developing creativity, increased physical and mental health, as well as boosts in self-confidence and connection to and care for the natural world. There are many many many blogs already written which discuss this further, check these out for just a couple of examples, here and here. These blogs also provide links to studies which have been conducted showing the research behind why being in nature helps our entire system as a whole person, mental health, physical health, and emotional health.

I know what you’re thinking. But Laura, you already know that I have way too much to keep up with, with work, technology, my children’s schedules, socializing, maintaining my health, and caring for elders, and now you’re asking me to do another thing. Yes, I’m asking you to do another thing. But that’s where balance comes in. It only makes sense that we must take some stressful things out in order to add calming things in, with the goal of balance of mind, body, and spirit. We say we want to be happier, healthier, have less chaos in our lives, find stability in our emotional health, have better connections with our family and friends. The research is clear on what helps and what keeps us in cycles of unhealth in regards to being outside in nature. I’m not saying it’s easy, but as I have discussed in a previous blog about self-discipline, we owe it to ourselves and those around us to follow through with taking the necessary steps, to be disciplined, to care for ourselves. Another unsettling statistic from research says that fifty percent of Americans do not take an annual vacation. There is a lot that goes into that statistic that I won’t get into here. But the underlying sentiment is, we need to get out into nature more, whether it be in the mountains, on a hiking trail, at the beach, on a walking path, or in a local park. And not just during vacation, but on a regular and consistent basis, for the good of our health. 

Over the last few years I have come across more and more blogs talking about doctors prescribing nature to their patients for the treatment of illnesses. I’ve read those headlines and thought, yes, I also “prescribe” nature to many of my clients, but rarely does anyone follow through with it. There has been backlash on the pharmaceutical approach as being the best and sometimes only way to treat illnesses, particularly mental illness, and for good reason. We have to think outside of the box that we have been taught to think inside of. It is not new news that being outside in nature helps us with how we feel both mentally and physically. But it is new in that our society has come to the point of devaluing the natural world and the connection our human bodies have to the natural world. We must reattach to the notion that nature is vital to our survival, both on a micro and macro level. 

As it’s been stated, two hours outside per week for adults is something we should all strive for. And this is a situation where more is better. This is the time of year when there are so many opportunities to be outside on a trail or walking path. And, cold weather and winter doesn’t have to be the end of outside time. Being outside in safe temperatures during the winter is very good for our mental and physical health, too. Let’s make a commitment to get outside more, for the good of our health.