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When I get too deep into my head, and my mental health is falling, it is time to change my mindset by going outdoors.

As a young child, I spent most of my free time outdoors. The season and weather didn’t matter. Outdoors was always better than indoors. If only I could have carried that wisdom into my adulthood and saved myself many, many dollars spent on therapy and medications.

I look back now and recognize that I was craving outdoor time. I remember the many times in my 20s and 30s when I would stand at the window and just look outside, wanting to go outdoors so badly, but held back. I don’t know why. Maybe I was just out of the habit.

Now, I have rediscovered my connection with the outdoors and, in particular, nature. There are many footpaths that run along the roads, but when I get my choice, it is always the path surrounded by nature for me.

At my annual check-up with the eye doctor, I am always asked how much time I spend outdoors daily. I would like to be the perfect patient and proudly reply, “2 hours minimum!” but that isn’t true. Not yet. Maybe next year will be the year I hit that target.

I always feel better after spending time outdoors, be it walking a nature path or to the shops, bicycling, playing with my daughter, or just sitting and reading a book. I mean, I really feel better, at the level of my soul. Know what I mean?

What about you? How much time do you spend outdoors each day? How does your mood change after some time in nature? Care to join me in recording 2 hours outdoors each day? Let me know in the comments. I would love to hear your story.

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Last Child in the Woods by Robert Louv — a book about the importance of nature, how it is being lost, and steps we can take to reconnect with nature.

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Originally published at https://letstalkabout.com.au on August 17, 2021.