It’s not as simple as just going on an adventure. Wait, why not? That doesn’t even make sense! Is the rush of daily life weighing you down? Are you feeling trapped and unmotivated? This is the perfect time to come up with reasons why you should just tough it out and “get the job done”.
Don’t do that. Unless, of course, you actually enjoy that empty-soul feeling and not knowing if there could be something BETTER!
In the next few minutes, we’re going to squash some reasons “why not”. We will inspire you to get out there and take those outdoor adventures.
YOU’RE ADDICTED
How often do you check your phone? How easily are you distracted?
Let’s just stop. Like really stop.
Do this: Put the phone down, turn the computer off, turn the tv off, stop working and simply exist with no distractions.
Do you feel it?
That’s boredom kicking in! You may not know this but a bored brain is extremely active! The prefrontal cortex absolutely loves this “quiet” time and it plays an important role. Some of which include, complex behaviour, planning, abstract thinking, emotional intelligence and it greatly contributes to personality development.
Let’s simplify that:
Boredom = Creativity
Your mind wants to wander… let it! These are the moments when we seek new experiences.
YOU’RE STUCK
Clever psychologists call this the hedonic treadmill or “hedonic adaptation”. It describes the tendency for humans to “get over it”. In other words, what used to make you happy, no longer does.
It’s the belief that no one thing will make you happy forever. This makes sense. You get used to it and will need something new or different to create that spark.
Let’s break the routine!
Do these things:
Start learning
Acquisition of knowledge broadens your horizons and opens new doors. The reasons for learning new things are to start building a new you!
Analyse your life.
Step outside your world and have a look. What have you accomplished? Where do you intend to go? Getting your priorities straight will make building the path so much easier.
Travel
Go somewhere you’ve never been before. You don’t have to get on a plane, it could be an hour down the road! Travel allows you to get a new perspective on life, you get to see how others are living it.
New experiences.
Have you ever dreamt of flying? Go skydiving! Love exploring? Go rafting or canyoning! It doesn’t have to be extreme, as long as you’re trying something for the first time.
It’s not that you should just stop all routines. Routines keep us focused, eliminate distractions, and gives us rhythm in a hectic world.
Let’s just make time to drop the routine sometimes and embark on unfamiliar territory.
YOU’RE AT WORK
We all need to work right?
Well some of us may not, but for the rest of us it’s a large part of our existence. However, this doesn’t mean we can’t find a good balance and flip the mindset that “all we do is work”.
Do this:
Understand why you work.
In doing so, you will learn to enjoy the fruits of your labor. After all, you need to pay the rent and it costs to eat.
Separate work and life.
This could be as simple as having a work calendar and a home calendar.
Breathe
Give yourself time to breathe and become “bored” (see above for the benefits of being bored).
Be present.
When you’re at work, it’s work time, and the river is no place to be thinking about Monday’s deadline!
It’s easy to get absorbed by work commitments. Therefore, it’s important to review your situation from time-to-time to avoid feeling like you’re at work all the time.
I’d imagine that was motivation enough. But just in case, let’s go over some reasons why you need to get more outdoor adventures into your life!
EXERCISE COMES EASY
Not only does the color green give you a psychological advantage for being active. Having a mission like hiking up a mountain makes the exercise secondary.
BRAIN FUNCTION
Spending time outside improves concentration and stimulates creativity. Urban landscapes often command our attention in a very direct way. Whereas the natural environment is far more interpretive, giving our minds a chance to explore new ideas.
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D isn’t easy to get purely from foods. Most of us need to soak it up from those golden rays! We need Vitamin D for bone growth, cell growth, inflammation reduction and neuromuscular and immune function.
Quick tip! Don’t throw on that sun cream right away, your skin needs to be unprotected to absorb those good vitamins. A rough guide is to spend 10-15 mins before you grease up.
NEVER GROW OLD
Ok, until they invent the magic anti-ageing pill, we’re all going in the same direction. However, there is a huge difference in the way people age.
Have you noticed there are a lot of older folk blazing around the mountains in winter on skis? In many mountain towns, you’ll see a lot of very active older people. There is a direct correlation between mobility and dexterity into old age in those who stay active!
STRESS FREE
Have you ever wondered why the default screen savers on your computer are of mountains, trees, oceans, and rivers? No? Exactly… you already know the benefits of looking at photos of nature.
The same thing happens when you go outside and experience it first-hand but on a whole new level!
While we don’t know exactly why this feeling happens in our bodies. The theory is that we respond positively to things that are good for us. Trees, for example, offer shade, protection and often bare fruit and nuts. All good things for our survival.
THE LITTLE THINGS
What are the moments you remember most in life? Probably not the cubicle at work or the big tv in your living room.
What do you think of when you go to your happy place? The classroom? The meeting room? Unlikely.
Being able to appreciate your surroundings has long been tied to overall happiness and well-being. Next time you’re out and about, slow it all down and take a look around.
I think we often get stuck on the idea that to go on an adventure takes time, planning, and costs a lot. Most of us have full-time jobs and time especially, always seems limited.
You really don’t have to spend a lot of energy on experiencing something new.
An impromptu ‘micro-adventure’ might be just what you need! For example, we’re located in Interlaken, Switzerland (the adventure capital of the world). There are 3 major cities within a 3-hour drive. This makes weekend adventures from Zurich, Bern or Geneva very accessible!
WILL YOU BE HAPPIER?
Of course, you will!! Us humans are hardwired for adventure. It’s called Dopamine. It’s science.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which effects positive emotions. It is released into the brain when we step outside the comfort zone and make decisions we’re not entirely sure about (in other words, experience new things).
WHAT DOES ADVENTURE MEAN TO YOU?
Is it the sun’s first light on the mountain tops?
The heavy current of the river?
The feeling that these places exist outside of the human “clock”?
Out there, everything changes. It doesn’t matter what people think. There are no society pressures or expectations. You are ENOUGH out there.
Find your own lines and remember that you are connected to the earth. Find your balance and tune into your natural rhythms.
You’re not the first one to feel humbled by the canyon walls, and you’re certainly not the last. Go and tell someone! Be the voice of reason in the noisy minds of your friends and colleagues.
At the end of the day, we explore nature not because science says it does something to us, but because of how it makes us feel.
