National Trails Day

Being outdoors is great. You get to enjoy the sunshine, the rustling of the trees, the birds chirping amongst themselves. You can breathe the fresh air. You will breath no better air than when you are in the middle of the forest. It’s so raw and natural. Being in the wild takes you back to a simpler frame of mind. It reminds you of simpler times. Before all the complex and dirty details mattered, it was just nature.

Honestly, this holiday couldn’t have been at a more perfect time. With social distancing still in place and limited access to restaurants/bars/parties, you have to do something. Not being able to go places has driven me crazy. I’m not a homebody. The extrovert in me likes being out and about. What are you supposed to do if you can’t go out to a party or hang with friends at the local brewery? It’s made me so happy to see how many more people are out walking, running, or biking. I love seeing so much physical activity and exercise happening. Maybe you can’t be out with friends like you want, but nature is always free and ready.

The weather has been pretty good too. Down South it’s been a little hot, if nothing else. Perfect weather for being outdoors. Our second tropical storm this year has finished, so we’re living high now that it’s not raining for 2 weeks straight. Maybe it’s not crazy humid or in the 90s where you live, but I’m sure the weather is agreeable enough to be tolerable.

Be outdoors. Walk those trails. Maybe even run them. Take your dog with you – I promise they will be so happy if you do. Take a family hike and picnic. Be creative. Do something fun and exciting. The coolest thing for me is that it’s free. I’m fresh out of college and I have student loans to pay back. I hate having to spend money unnecessarily. Free activities are amazing and should be on everyone’s list.

Walking around the trails is a great way to stay active. It’s also great exercise for your pet. I love having my dog out with me on long walks because he gets so tired. By the time we get home, he’s wiped out and just naps so I can work undisturbed.

Being in nature is so relaxing. Not having cellphones or computers clouding our minds is extremely peaceful. Being outdoors helps you to refocus. Maybe you just need a break from your work or maybe you need to reevaluate decisions in your life. Honestly, I’ve made some of my best decisions when I’m exercise alone. It clears out your head from all the nonsense that is ultimately unimportant.

Trails help you connect with nature. We are surrounded by technology. And some of it is fantastic. The information we are able to share with each other is astounding. You reading this post is all because of technology. It’s a great tool that we should utilize to do amazing things in the world. But sometimes we let technology take over our lives and control us. Too many people are unable to stand spending a few minutes away from their phones. They have to know when they get some notification. We shouldn’t become dependent on our devices. Get into nature. Leave the phones (except one for emergencies) behind and embrace the wild.

One time when I was out walking my dog on some local trails, we accidentally stepped on a snake. Obviously, we didn’t realize what it was until it moved and tried to bite us. I totally freaked out. I don’t like snakes and my dog can be kind of dumb sometimes. I apologize to anyone who heard me screaming for a solid 2 seconds, lol. I wouldn’t have had a mini heart attack and a funny story if I stayed cooped up inside all day.

Go on a trail. What stories will you have to tell? What fun memories can you make? Don’t look back on your life and regret not spending more time with your friends and family doing silly activities like trail walks.

Take advantage of all that nature has to offer. Whistle back to those birds and see what they say. Try to find the turtles’ heads popping out of the water. Don’t trip over the roots! Pretend every bridge you cross will take you to Terabithia.

Exercise your body and your pets. Spend quality time with your loved ones. Expand your imagination. Be silly. Be creative. Have fun and enjoy life!

Start all that on the trails!