The Power and Beauty of The Outdoors

I have to be completely honest, I am not the best at completely roughing it outdoors. Bugs give me the heebie jeebies and I usually jump and make a funny noise whenever one is near me, let alone on me. Any time I go camping I am usually afraid a bear is going to come and eat me, I know totally ridiculous. However, I am doing my best to become more at ease with the setting of nature, including bugs and maybe even bears! Nut what I really wanted to make a point of today was what being outside can do for you and what it does for me personally. Luckily for all of us there is different extremes of being outdoorsy. If you want to sleep in a hammock out in the open for all the bugs and bears to see or if you simply want to spend a good chunk of time looking out into the ocean or a taking a hike….I think any degree of nature can do wonders for us and here is why!

1. Being outside connects you to yourself, others, and the planet.

Sometimes in the every day hustle and bustle of things we lose sight of many important factors in our lives. Unfortunately, people get disconnected to themselves, those around them, and this amazing planet, all the time! This is no way to live your life! When there is a disconnect between you and any of these things, it doesn’t allow you to have a clear idea of how to treat any of them. Therefore, we end up abusing ourselves, others, and the planet because we forget how precious and special each one is. However, when you take some time to look out into this amazingly beautiful place we live, you remember that it is sacred and we need to do our very best to protect it and nurture it, just like it has done for us for millions of years. Time outdoors is also a great time to reflect. Reflection is also a perfect opportunity to remember your values and goals. Use this time to brainstorm, look inside your soul, and really just have some time to work on you! When we take the time to look inside and reconnect it reminds us to be kind and gentle with others as well. Plus time spent outdoors is a great opportunity to get some quality bonding in with others such as family or friends, without the noisy distractions we face in our everyday lives.

In general, being outside means you are being somewhat active. It is so important to take care of our bodies. For some people its easy to get to the gym every day, get enough sleep, and eat right. But for many people this is not the case. We get SO busy and stressed out that half the time the gym and a healthy meal is the last things we want to think of. I totally get this. For those of us that have a harder time working those disciplines into our daily routines, being active outdoors is a great alternative. Taking a walk with your honey to the park or down the shoreline feels like leisure, not work. Mentally this is a huge difference from what the gym can feel like to some of us. Even if you go to the gym 6 days a week, an extra walk, swim, or hike is just an added bonus of taking even better care of your body and enjoying the view while you’re at it!

3. Being outside can take you to places you’ve never been before.

There is a quote I’ve always loved and that is, “My favorite place to go is somewhere I’ve never been.” This idea is so significant to me. Going somewhere you have never been before can give you inspiration and ideas you have never had before. Exposing yourself to new places and things can also gain you extremely valuable perspective which you would’ve never had otherwise. It can also connect you to people and images you would’ve never had the blessing of seeing or knowing before. We don’t grow,  make new connections, or learn much by sitting at home on our familiar couch and watching other people do things on your TV screen. You may not go for a  hike and walk away with a new job, but you could come away with a new attitude or a new idea on how to go and get your new job! There are so many positive things waiting to happen to us in places that we have never been before and going outside is a great way to explore some of these hidden places.

Skirt – GoJane

Top – Forever21

Belt and ring – Tilly’s

Booties – Matisse

Choker – Windsor