In this day and age, it's really not necessary to be outside for very long. You can theoretically; leave your house, get in your car (inside of your garage) and park merely steps from whatever other building you spend the rest of your day in, only to walk steps back to your car and drive back to your comforting garage to simply spend the rest of your day, evening or night in your home. A 1,000 years ago, this just wasn't possible. We have evolved to become indoor creatures.
So how has this changed the way that we live our lives?
Children's recess is being cut shorter and shorter every year, physical education (gym class) programs are being cut and the focus of it seems to promote good grades to get into great schools and someday get better jobs. Children are not as exposed to the outdoors as they used to be. Video games are becoming more popular than meeting up with the neighborhood kids for pick up games in someone's backyard. We are less in touch with each other and the world around us while simultaneously We have become disconnected to the outdoors.The idea of being 'in the moment' with the environment is merely a side point, an idea for people to say they go outside. I have decided for myself that the idea of being outside isn't enough for me, I want to walk the talk that my cliche John Muir bumper sticker entails.
The idea alone of loving the wilderness and the environment will not have the same effect as legitimately spending time outdoors. Sunlight alone, regardless of any other aspect of the outside world, is amazing for both the physical and mental health of humans. The sun gives us vitamin D and helps fight depression. Sunlight perceived through your eyes causes a boost in serotonin, which is the chemical in the brain connected to happy feelings while sunlight absorbed through the skin is how your body absorbs vitamin D, which is important for bone health and boosts the immune system, according to Healthline.com.
Fresh air is now viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity of life. When my friends from the city come visit me now in the north Georgia mountains, they are surprised how crisp and fresh the air is. Well, those are trees, I love them and the clean air they exhale. Spending the last year in the mountains has changed my perspective on being outside and spending time in the outdoors. It's refreshing, clean and a whole lot of fun. The past few months I've been on hella adventures exploring the world around me and I couldn't be happier. Instead of admiring the sunrise illuminating suburbia from my window, I crave the feeling of sunshine on my face and that feeling of awe that is only found on top of a mountain looking out on the forest below.
I challenge you to spend a little more time outdoors this week. Whether it be watching the sunrise while drinking your morning coffee, reading or working on something from a park bench versus your desk, or devoting an afternoon to a day hike, see how it impacts your life or just your mood for the rest of the day. I hope the fresh air and sunshine will inspire you to no longer take the great outdoors for granted. And with that, I will leave you with yet another cliche John Muir quote:
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."
