This summer I got an amazing opportunity to hike one of the most beautiful hikes in the Pacific Northwest, The Wonderland Trail and what I learned from that ten day trip changed my life forever.
Before my trip journey on “The Wonderland” I was stressed out and anxious. Not about the trip but about anything and everything. I would get myself so worked up about the smallest of things that I’d end up in a panic attack. My mind would race and I would always think about the worst, never the best, whatever the situation may be.
My adventure taught me to be in the moment and forget about the “what ifs”. I was free and didn’t have a care in the world. Not one panic attack occurred on that trip and I had the time of my life.
I learned that nature has a profound effect on a persons body and soul and can calm the mind in amazing ways. We need nature and the fresh air just like we need food and water. We exercise in the gym to strengthen our bodies but we must take care of our mind as well. Nature is powerful in subtle ways and if we let it, is capable of calming our racing minds and bringing us back down to earth.
For much of our history we have lived in the outdoors and have adapted to it. There is a reason why we flock to National Parks in the summer and why sitting around camp fires holds a special place in our hearts. It calms us and makes us happy. Living in cities with constant and unrelenting mental stimulus is a fairly new thing and overwhelms us wether we think it does or not. The mind needs to reset and wonder.
Nature is our medicine and our therapist. Go back to your roots and free your mind. Visit your nearest park and enjoy the sounds of the birds and the calm breeze ruffling the leaves. Close your eyes and take a breath through the nose. Enjoy the smells and forget about your troubles. Your mind will thank you for it, I promise.
In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.
John Muir
The Anticz Project 