Get Outside

There can't ever have been a time in our history when we have been so divorced from nature.

It's difficult to believe in these times of technology, offices, concrete and indoors, that we are actually designed to live outside, enjoy the weather (all of it, sun, rain, snow, ice, even that murky, windy, cold which we get in England),  enjoy our environment and to exist in harmony with the outside world.

Spending time outside is severely  underrated. 

Air conditioning is no substitute for fresh air. Especially that which we get in the countryside, which is significantly less affected by car exhaust fumes and the other myriad pollutants which we endure in the city. Country air is ozone-rich, so is the air by the sea, full of briny particles - it's no wonder that spending the day outside makes you sleepy and ready for a great night's slumber: you've been ingesting the good stuff (in terms of air quality) all day long. I'm sure that better air alone is equivalent to some form of mood-enhancing drugs!

Getting dirty is good for the soul. Reconnecting with nature (literally) changes your perspective on life. we spend so much time in man-made environments, its a real pleasure to actually do some digging, swim in the sea, become grounded once again. 

Getting dirty is also good for the body. We are designed to live outdoors. The outdoors has dirty stuff in it. Soil itself is full of bacteria, cultures and microscopic critters too small to see with the human eye, but that doesn't mean that we should shy away. It's widely regarded now that the ultra-sterile environments in which we are raising our kids is actually contributing to childhood asthma and a general inability to deal with anything not 100% sanitised. We are living beings. We need a live environment in order to function at our best. 

There is no substitute for the delight in seeing wildlife in their natural habitat. You just can't get the same effect in a petting zoo or an animal sanctuary: there's a real sense of wonder and privilege which comes from being lucky enough for an wild animal or bird to share a few moments with you. This could be as simple as the birds in your garden coming close to you whilst you sit outside with your morning coffee, rabbits crossing your path as you walk, glimpsing a fox or a deer in the hedgerow as you cycle.

We were not designed to spend our weekends eating popcorn watching box-sets on our huge TVs. Human beings were designed to move, interact (physically as well as emotionally and intellectually). Movement for the sake of movement, in an outdoor environment was core to our development as a species and is just the same now. 

You don't have to be Bear Grylls: making time for a walk, going to the park at lunchtime to watch the squirrels being cheeky, doing a spot of mountain biking (personal favourite), gardening, putting a bird table outside your office window and let the local wildlife come to you. It all counts. Of course, scuba diving with sharks is totally awe-inspiring, as I'm sure going on safari in Kenya might be, but as with most things, a little every day is worth a lot more to your long term well-being than two weeks a year. Be creative and find what works for you. 

Mark Sisson has great posts on this very topic: to start you off, here's a link to just one of his pieces: Spending Time in Nature. 

Let me know what your favourites outdoor activities are.