Why Getting Outside Is Good For My Mental Health
Lately I found myself feeling really connected with nature. I believe this was kicked off with our trip to Wyoming. I still proclaim that the Grand Teton and Yellowstone areas are some of the prettiest in the world. This pull to nature was further fueled on our recent trip to Wales. Standing on the peak of a mountain in Snowdonia National Park, where these photos were taken, looked like we were transported to the lush green set of Game of Thrones. Far from the snowy wall to the North (although we did literally see that when we were in Iceland a few years ago) but just as magical. I half expected to see a dragon fly over my head. Or maybe I’ve just been re-watching too many episodes of Game of Thrones.
Instead of heading to the gym, I’ve found myself craving long walks around the city to get my daily steps in. I typically head to the gym during lunch, a work from home perk, because I find it way less crowded. But who actually enjoys working out in a gym?! While it’s important to me to exercise for my physical and mental health, my mental health has been pulling me to spend that time outside, walking east to Carl Shurz Park along the river, or west towards Central Park where I enjoy walking around the lake. And I say walk because I am not a runner. I would rather do almost anything than run. My favorite thing to do lately is (briskly) walk to the park, listening to a podcast in my headphones, and soak in the nature around me.
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You may be thinking, “you live in New York City, how much nature can there really be?” but I assure you there is more than you think. While yes, there is obviously a lot of concrete, and you have Central Park, every block in the city is lined with trees, many of which have flowers planted under them, and most townhouses in our neighborhood have flower boxes in the windows. Pretty much everyone around the world is familiar with Central Park, but there are actually quite a few smaller, lesser known parks in the city. There are two alone within a couple blocks of our apartment.
All this to say, there is nature all around you, wherever you may live. If you’re like me and your mental health thrives from spending time outside, I challenge you to do something every day this summer that gets you outside. It’s amazing what a difference reconnecting with nature makes.
-Ash