Lately, I've been binge-listening to the podcast She Explores by Gale Straub. She Explores is described as "A Website and Podcasts for Inquisitive Women in the Outdoors, on the Road, and Besides." As Gale speaks and lets us in on her journey, I find a kindred spirit that has been inspiring in many ways.
In one of the first few episodes of her podcast, she challenges her listeners to explain how the outdoors make them feel. Listening to all the answers caused me to step back and reflect how the outdoors make me feel. After pondering the question for a few days, I'm ready to reveal my answer.
To preface my answer, I would like to state that I believe the outdoors are anytime you're outside. Whether you're hiking, camping, kayaking, snowboarding or just out on a walk after work - as long as you take a step away from the hustle and bustle of every day life and breathe in the fresh air - that's outdoors to me.
The outdoors help me feel like myself. I don't feel the pressure to be anything but me.
The outdoors remind me that my struggles are much smaller than they feel. It allows me to take a step back and see that I'm part of something much bigger than myself. It's a place where I can feel both connected and isolated - which can be an extremely confusing, wonderful feeling.
The outdoors give me an opportunity to reset. I get so restless when I'm stuck in a routine - which as a person that works in an office everyday, can also end up causing me to feel trapped. The fresh air, the sunshine, being able to move freely allows me to feel like myself and get back to my own roots. It helps me better balance everything going on in life.
The outdoors let me relax. There are no expectations. No deadlines. No one's going to be judging me. No need to stress about the day to day task lists. When I'm in the outdoors, I can just relax. I can clear my mind of whatever has been troubling me and focus on the way the water ripples, the way the leaves are moving, the way sunlight feels on my skin and reflects off the ground, the way the snow piles up in certain areas. The feeling of sand or grass beneath my feet, the feeling when the world turns into a snow globe in the winter, the feeling of awe while watching the sun rise or set. The way my mind can wander and ideas will form. The outdoors are amazing and breathtaking and consistently leave me feeling better than when I first stepped out.
Now I'm going to challenge you. How do the outdoors make you feel? Think about it and I'd love to hear your answers either here or on Facebook or Instagram. If you're looking for more inspiration, please be sure to check out She Explores.
Live big.
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