Nature Therapy
Having a bad day? Might I introduce you to my very favourite stress busting healer: Nature Therapy.
Short Definition: Simply head into nature & start sweating out some stress. Much cheaper than traditional therapy, healthier for your body than the famous “wine” therapy, and with immediate uplifting results who can argue that this isn’t a great way to take on the woes of the week.
It wasn’t always so for me; you see yes I have always been involved in athletics and have been pretty outdoorsy but that doesn’t really add up if it’s not semi regular in execution. Luckily though I’ve had the good fortune early in life to recognize that. I didn’t always have the desire either, but again I recognized that direction of continuity is and was good for me. VERY good for me.
I am an athlete yes, but wasn’t always a runner. That was a decision. I started out as a walker. I used to listen to an audio book & everyday after I dropped my little people off at school I’d simply go for a walk. Allowing the audiobook to distract my brain from dwelling on how bored I was, or cold, or hungry, or tired.. Funnily though I noticed immediately the benefits of regular fresh air. Calmer behaviour, sleeping better, clearer skin, more easily able to go to a place of gratitude.
After a few months of that my daily or nearly daily walks, I’d walk-run, then a few months after that – I ran, finally. The whole foundation process took roughly 7-8 months. Then after I became a runner I ran, a lot.
It wasn’t that it wasn’t difficult, or hard to make time for, or hard on my body – it was but there was something that kept me interested. I learned that year about Nature Therapy, the blatant effect of regular out door exercise – leaving me with uninterrupted processing and thinking time, a heightened sense of perspective, the therapeutic gratification of accomplishment, a deep sense of calm, total body increased circulation and blood flow helps me feel limber and agile. I love it.
Today, I am no longer trail running as I have a knee injury that prevents much more than a 3 or 4 km run, but I have found other things: Alpine Hiking, Mountain Biking and my new favourite sport, Skate Skiing. That’s what I was doing today.
I hope you have the courage and desire to take this and make it your own. Maybe you have another healthy form of therapy akin to my nature variety that you would love to share? We’d love to hear about it!
Happy Saturday,
xo Miss D.
m! Media & LBH Collective 