That being said, the other day was a perfect autumn day and I managed to convince myself that there was no way I was going to miss out on such a gorgeous day. Autumn is my favourite season, so I wanted to get outside and enjoy it. The hard part is always working up the courage to get dressed and step outside. I didn't want to overwhelm myself and cause a panic attack, as I had one the night before, so I took things slowly. I told myself that I could lounge around in the morning while eating breakfast but I had to be outside by 12pm so as to not waste the entire day.
The hardest part is always getting up off the couch to go get dressed but that's also the most important step! When I'm in my pjs my mind is set on lazy mode, it's easy to get too comfy and then I end up not wanting to do anything because it seems like such a huge chore to have to go and get ready for the day before I can step outside the house. But once I'm dressed, everything else comes much easier because I'm already set to go about my day and if something unexpected comes up, I'm ready. In order to make my morning routine easier for me I've stopped wearing make-up and worrying about my hair. Sometimes spending the time to do these things makes me feel good because it's nice to feel dolled up now and again, but on a regular basis my goal is just to get out of the house as fast as possible, so I just throw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie, brush my teeth and I'm ready to go. Cutting my routine down to the bare necessities makes it more likely that I'll get outside as I don't have time to change my mind or make excuses.
Once I got outside the other day, I honestly felt like my normal self again. I went for a long walk by myself and just took my time exploring. The path I took I've walked time and time again since I was a child, but it was like I was seeing it for the very first time. I allowed myself to notice everything, I stopped and admired the beauty of the changing leaves, I felt the crisp autumn air enter into my soul. It was wonderful!
There's no words to describe the healing powers of nature, it's just a feeling but it's a feeling I truly believe in. I've always been an outdoorsy/active person and it wasn't until I took the time to connect with nature again that I realized how much I had been missing that in my life. The day of my walk was gorgeous, perfect sweater weather, however yesterday and today have been nothing but gloom and rain, but instead of finding myself running from the rain, I've been embracing it. It's like mother nature has woken up my soul and made me feel alive again.
I know I'm not the only one to experience this sensation. In fact, I got a text from my boyfriend about a week ago telling me the same thing. He was having a bad day, just felt a little down and didn't want to be stuck at work. He was working on a roof and all of a sudden it started to storm. While everyone else was running for cover, he lifted his face to the sky and allowed the rain to wash over him. He smiled because for the first time all day, he felt alive.
In our busy, progressive society, it's easy to get caught up working too hard, trying to be the best, rushing from place to place or spending all of our time stuck in a concrete jungle. But I urge you to escape from all that, even if just for a few hours, and get out and become one with nature. We evolved from nature, we weren't always surrounded by tall buildings, loud noises and lots of light, life used to be a lot more simple and a lot more peaceful and as humans we're hardwired to still crave that because that's how life was meant to be before we took control and focused on making everything 'bigger / better / faster / stronger'. We have evolved as a species but it's important to remember where we came from. We are just as much a part of nature as are the animals, the trees or the ocean. We need to take the time to embrace nature, to take it all in, and to allow our minds, bodies and souls to recharge.
Here are a few photos from my walk. I hope they inspire you to get outside.
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