There's no better way to get your mind right than to get out and experience nature for yourself. I’m not one to camp, so I’m not suggesting you have to truly become one with nature. That being said, you can’t go wrong with getting up & getting out. Whether it be a walk or run, hike or drive, getting out always does the body good both mentally & physically. Now more than ever, the importance of sneaking out of our shelters, changing the four walls surrounding us & breathing the fresh air can mean the difference between love & hate, happiness & sadness. We weren’t meant to sit inside all day, everyday. We do it as much as we can to keep us & others physically healthy, but if & when we can go out safely, we need to do so. When our head is in the game, we have the ability to think clearer &, let’s face it, make better decisions.
SHELTERED-IN-PLACE
Shelter-in-place orders have probably affected everyone on the planet by now. For some of us, the orders have been extremely strict. I’m not one to sit around too much. I always seem to be out & about. This has made sheltering in place difficult for me. Even so, I’ve been fairly good about staying inside, but admittedly, I have snuck out a few times. I’m currently in the Bay Area of San Francisco. Initially, the parks & beaches remained open. I love taking photos, so I went out & experienced the city without a million people running around. It was a blast! I jumped on the opportunity to see the Golden Gate Bridge close up, Lombard Street (the famous crooked street) with only one car & empty streets in every direction. Although, it was confusing driving around all the one way streets without other cars to follow (I almost turned the wrong way more than a few times), it was still an incredible experience. The next day, our restrictions changed & the parks & beaches were closed. Fortunately, they left many of our trails open for exercise, so I headed there next.
HIKING
When I say I went hiking, I don’t necessarily mean I hiked 2 or 3 miles, or that I even saw the whole trail for that matter. I may go to the trail, go in the equivalent of a mile & turn around. If I make it to the trail & take a couple of steps past the beginning, I’ve gone hiking. Point is, I’m not extreme with it. Many times, I go in to get lost in taking photos. Whether I’m looking through the camera eye or not, I’m able to see more around me by focusing on the frame of the photo. I have always enjoyed being active & getting out there on the trail & seeing all that’s around me is what I find fun. I can get lost for hours, literally. So, if we ever go hiking together, try to keep an eye on me because I can easily get lost. That’s a beautiful day for me. As difficult as being sheltered is, I’ve taken the time to see what’s around me & to visit places close to me I haven’t seen before. I’ve been “hiking” the trails in my backyard that I may never see again once the orders are lifted.
JUST GO
If you have the ability to get outside, whether it be sitting on a patio or balcony with a good book, taking a walk in your neighborhood, finding a walking trail or just pacing in your backyard, if you can get out, just go. If you can wander a little & get out of your normal routine, go. Escaping the feeling of Groundhog Day will help your mind & body. It’ll help your outlook switch from the negative to the positive. Wipe that old bicycle off & take if for a spin. Live in the moment & experience life as it’s presented to you. You can’t change it, so enjoy it while you can. Soon enough, we’ll all be back to normal thinking it’d be nice if the weekend would last just a little longer.
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