In a world filled with technological advancements and digital forms of entertainment, we can sometimes begin to feel trapped within our own modern lives.
If you’ve ever craved getting away and experiencing some nature for yourself, then you probably know exactly how this feels.
Here’s the thing.
Nature is really good for you.
Getting out around the trees, the rivers, the lakes, the bugs, the dirt, etc. are all extremely healthy for you.
Sitting at a desk and staring at a computer screen, by contrast, is probably the least natural activity that humans can engage in.
In fact, some people are calling sitting ‘the new smoking,’ simply because it’s so bad for us.
So in this post, you’re going to learn four ideas for how to experience more nature this summer—so that you can escape from the daily grind of living trapped in your modern technologically advanced lifestyle.
1. Go Hiking
This is one of the absolute best ways to get away from the desk and out into nature.
Do a quick internet search to find some hiking trails near you.
Pick one that’s close by, that looks interesting.
You don’t have to bite off something huge all at once.
Plan to hike for 20 to 40 minutes, or until you just feel like being done for the day.
This little bit of extra exposure to nature can do wonders for your mental health and emotional well-being.
2. Head For The Water
Whether you’re going to visit a creek, a stream, a spring, a lake, a river, or even an ocean—getting close to a body of natural water and just existing in that environment can be so beneficial for you in so many ways.
Depending on what part of the world you live in, you’ll want to do some research to find some natural bodies of water (or coastlines) that are near enough to you that you can access them without going too far out of your normal routine.
This will help to make the activity seem less overwhelming.
But it will also still be incredibly enjoyable.
For best results, bring along a friend or family member and make it a social outing as well.
3. Go Camping
If you want to get just a little bit more ‘adventurous’ in your quest to experience more of the great outdoors, consider spending the night under the stars and away from the comfort of your very modern bed and mattress.
Campgrounds are numerous—and you can sometimes even find places to camp that won’t cost you anything.
Of course, you’ll need a few pieces of supplies for this.
You’ll need a sleeping bag, a tent, and probably something to cook a meal with.
But this is a fantastic adventure that can yield a myriad of positive health and wellness benefits.
4. Plan A More In-Depth Getaway
For this step, you basically want to just take your outdoor adventures to the next level by expanding your horizons to do something a little bit more adventurous.
This could mean going on a multi-day hike, taking a canoe down the river, planning a camping trip several states away, going out on the ocean in a sailboat, or going on a guided tour of a national park.
Whatever it is that you decide to do, this step will require more planning and structure than any of the other steps.
This may be something you’ll want to work up to.
By planning it a few months in advance, you could also team up with some friends or family members to make it a group ordeal.
Regardless of how you do it, this is an amazing way to experience even more of nature, and to integrate more with our primitive human roots.
There’s an ancient hunter-gatherer in all of us.
And one of the best ways to reestablish this connection with our heritage as humans is to get back into nature and assimilate with it as well (and as deeply) as we can.