One With Nature: A Call to Enjoy the Outdoors Without Technology

It's the weekend! that means its time to hit the open road. People everywhere are starting their trips to the mountains, beach, or favorite campsite. Come Monday, you're bound to see some posts on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, or Facebook of all the fun that everyone had. When scrolling through these posts I can only think of one thing: how are they enjoying the people and sites around them if they are worried about getting the perfect picture for social media?

This topic is difficult for me because I am guilty of it too. We thrive on attention. We want the most likes on our posts and the feeling that it gives us. The euphoria that we feel when someone likes a post is a drug. A drug that we cannot live without. I realize that when posting these blogs it's my way of feeding that drug. It sucks knowing that the problem that I see with our culture is the same problem that I have.

This drug is perfectly normal. I am not here to tell you that all social media is bad. My thought is that the overuse of social media can turn the adventurer into a technology addict. Which in turn, will infect your love for the wild.

I tried something new the past few times I have gone out on an adventure. It's a simple idea, yet when you try it is overwhelmingly difficult. I put my phone away. GASP! I know! I realized something while I was out there away from the world and unhindered by the thought of the perfect post: nature is amazing! Most people believe that, but they don't live it. There is something amazing about knowing you are the only person seeing a view at a particular moment, and knowing that you may be interpreting that view differently than anyone else.

The thought that goes through my head when I see people on the trail with their phone out taking a picture is this: is this the reason that you are out here? To find the perfect picture to take? It is a terrible thought, I know. And for most people that are out on their phone, I know it's not the reason they are out. But, I can't help but see how social media and cell phones are taking away from what nature has to offer.

This drug does have a replacement: that replacement is human interaction. We lose sight of this when we hide behind a screen and talk with our internet friends.

So this is nothing more than a call to action. Put away your phones when you're on a hike. Use a map when you're biking. Buy a camera to take amazing, breath-taking pictures while you're exploring. To start, just put your phone away for one hour a day and I promise you won't regret it. The freedom that comes with the lack of technology is amazing! Once you realize that you can live without your cell phone, you'll want to put it away and stand back and enjoy life! I Promise!