Explore Nature More

Spending time outdoors has so many benefits! Breathing in the fresh air and exploring the nature that surrounds us is good for body and spirit. But...life gets busy and sometimes the opportunities to get outside and explore more seem to just slip between our fingers. This post will share several simple ways to make spending time outdoors easy, fun, and a regular part of your day.

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Benefits of Getting Outside

Getting outside and into nature is great in and of itself. It is beautiful, peaceful, and full of adventure. But, there are a lot of really great benefits above and beyond those things too!

Mental Health Benefits

Getting outdoors can give a boost to your mental health. It has been shown to increase feelings of relaxation in people. Think about it, when you are indoors, you may be experiencing a bit of overload. Perhaps you are feeling overloaded by work or home expectations. Perhaps you are feeling overstimulated by people, noise, or activity. Getting outside gives you a break from this. It gives you a few moments to step away from the craziness of life and step into nature where you can slow down for a moment, relax, and breathe. This can reduce tension and lower feelings of anxiety. It can rejuvenate you a bit, and give you more focus for when you do need to return to the pressures of everyday life. Getting outside for even just a few minutes can provide that bit of respite that may be needed to get through the rest of the day!

Physical Health Benefits

There are a lot of physical benefits of getting outdoors more! First, it helps you increase your daily movement which helps with maintaining a healthy body weight. If you count steps...then getting outdoors for even just a few minutes is a simple way to help you reach your step goal. It has also been shown that getting outdoors regularly leads to an increased desire to stay active. Being active leads to a desire to be more active; it helps to increase your motivation. Win! Being outdoors has also been shown to reduce cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that is released by the body during stressful situations. Increased cortisol levels over time can lead to things like high blood pressure, high blood sugar, a weakened immune system, and increased anxiety. Getting outside regularly helps to keep that stress hormone in check! Getting outside also increases levels of Vitamin D, which is necessary for bone health, blood cells, and immune function. Finally, getting outside regularly helps with your sleep cycle! It leads to better sleep and more regular sleep/wake cycles.

Increased Creativity and Social Connections

Getting outdoors can not only help your body and mind, it can help you in a few other ways too. Being outdoors can boost your creativity. If you are feeling stuck in regard to a problem, step outside for a bit. The fresh air, change of scenery, and increased relaxation can help you get out of your "stuck" mode and help you to feel more creative! Nature also opens up a variety of options for social connections. Sometimes it is nice to be outdoors all on your own, if you are craving quiet, stillness, and reflection. But, sometimes it is nice to get outdoors with others, to enjoy the beauty and adventure together. Nature offers many options to do this! Hiking groups, walking with a friend, fishing with a relative, these are just a few examples. Outdoor activities can be the perfect excuse to call someone up and make some plans together!

Tips for Making the Habit Stick

OK, so perhaps you are reading this thinking, "That's great, but I just don't have time to add one more thing to my day. There is no way I can stick to a goal of regularly getting outside." Trust me, I get it. Who needs one more "to-do" on the to-do list, right? Not me! I think the trick is to give yourself options and room for grace. Think of getting outside as a thing you get to do...not a thing you have to do. It is a GOOD thing, right? Reframe your thinking to see it that way. Look forward to it. See it as an escape from the to-do list...not another item on it. Here are a few practical tips to help:

1. Try to get outside a certain number of times each week, rather than saying you want to get outside daily.

   Life happens! Days get busy and crazy. Telling yourself that you have to get outside every single day is just setting yourself up for failure. Build in some grace and leeway. Maybe your goal is to get outside 3 times per week. Maybe it is 5 times per week. Do what works for you, and if you meet the goal...great! If you go above and beyond the goal...even better! If you don't meet the goal...fine. Try again the next week and move on. Don't beat yourself up. Remember, getting outdoors and spending time in nature is a "get to" and a goal that will benefit your body and mind. It's not another daily pressure or source of stress.

2. Have a list of options rather than trying to do the same thing each day.

   If you are like me, you get bored easily. Doing the same activity each day quickly begins to feel like a chore rather than a reward. I used to have a goal to go for walks more. However, there are really only a few walking options available from my house, and it isn't feasible for me to get into the car to drive to a walking location each day. Going for a walk quickly began to feel more like a chore to me and less like an enjoyable activity. I didn't necessarily dread it, but I stopped looking forward to it. Having a list of outdoor options keeps the interest and excitement alive. Plus, you can choose the option that fits your day best, based on time, interest, weather, etc. I'll share some options below. You can save it to your phone, or you can even print the list and have it readily available to look at each day!

3. Reward Yourself!

   Maybe there are some bigger outdoor activities that you'd like to do. Ones that don't really fit into the everyday category. Make them rewards! For example, maybe you'd love to go on a weekend camping trip with your family. Make it a reward...if you meet a certain activity goal that you set for yourself, you can go ahead and plan that camping trip! Maybe there is a piece of hiking or outdoor gear that you have your eye on. Make it a reward! You get the idea... Sometimes we need a little boost to keep going on the dreary days. This can help.

List of Outdoor Ideas

• Go hiking

• Go camping

• Go outside and take some nature pictures with your phone or camera

• Find a quiet spot outside. Sit and listen to the sounds of nature.

• Go for a slow walk and observe the beauty all around you.

• Sit outside and journal.

• Bring a sketchbook and draw what you see while outdoors.

• Go for a walk around your neighborhood.

• Walk to a nearby store, rather than drive.

• Go for a bike ride.

• Visit a park on your lunch break.

• Have a picnic.

• Sit outside at night and stargaze.

• Look at the clouds in the sky and find shapes.

• Go on a scavenger hunt by yourself or with others.

• Plant or work in a vegetable garden.

• Plant some flowers or work in a flower garden.

• Pick a wildflower bouquet.

• Grab a book and read outside for a while.

• Take the dog for a walk.

• Go canoeing.

• Go kayaking.

• Grab a fishing pole and go fishing.

• If you are a hunter, go hunting for what is in season.

• Sit and watch the birds for a bit. Try to identify them.

• Go golfing.

• Do some light yard work.

• Get a field guide and try to identify trees

• Get a field guide and try to identify wildflowers.

• Get a field guide and try to identify reptiles and amphibians.

• Get a field guide and try to identify mammals.

• Get a field guide and try to identify insects.

• Go to a u-pick farm and pick produce that is in season.

• Walk around your local farmers' market.

Helpful Tools and Apps

There's an app for that -- seems to be a pretty true statement for most things these days, right? Well, there really are some great apps and tools out there that support exploring the outdoors. Here are a few options.

APPS

Seek by iNaturalist - app - available on Google Play and the App Store

I really enjoy this app! It is a lot of fun. The app uses your phone's camera and image recognition technology to identify things all around you. You can identify wildlife, plants, and fungi, and you can learn all about the organisms too! You can earn badges as you identify more and more things in your environment, and you can participate in various challenges designed to get you looking for specific things all around you.

Merlin Bird ID - app - available on Google Play and the App Store

This app will help you to identify birds that you observe. It can help you to identify birds by their characteristics and by their sounds. You can even use photos you've taken to help with identification. The app will keep track of the birds you have identified, so you will always have a growing list to add to!

PlantSnap - app - available on Google Play and the App Store

Just like it sounds. You snap a photo of a plant and the app will help you to identify it in seconds!

AllTrails - app - available on Google Play and the App Store

This app helps you plan, track, and share outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and walking. You can search for trails by location, interest, and skill level. You can get detailed trail information and driving directions. You can even use the app to navigate the trail and track your progress!

SCAVENGER HUNTS

It can also be fun to completely disconnect from your phone while in nature. If that is more your style, or if you are just looking for more of an "unplugged" activity, check out the scavenger hunts that we have available in our shop. They are available through Etsy, and they are instant downloads. You simply purchase and print. Easy-peasy! Scavenger hunts can be a great tool for adults and kids alike. Everyone loves a good challenge and adventure! You can use them on your own, while hiking with kids, or as an activity for a kids' sleepover or birthday party. Enjoy! Scavenger Hunts available in our Shop

More Articles About the Benefits of Getting Outdoors

Want to dig into this topic even more? Here are several articles that will give you even more info about the benefits out getting out into nature!

• 3 ways getting outside into nature helps improve your health - UC Davis Health

• Health Benefits of Getting Outside - WebMD

• The wellness benefits of the great outdoors - USDA Forest Service

Click to open as a Printable PDF

I hope this post both inspired you and encouraged you to get outdoors and explore more! There is a world of adventure right outside your door. Get out there! It will help your mind, body, and spirit. Happy adventuring!

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