Home Health & Wellbeing
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

The great outdoors!

Han93Han93 Posts: 309 The Mix Regular

Hey,


So I thought I'd just share something from Mind that I read the other day about how good getting outdoors is for wellbeing! https://www.mind.org.uk/media/273470/ecotherapy.pdf


It's pretty wordy but it basically talks about how doing outdoor activities e.g. gardening, cycling or even going for a short stroll can really benefit you both physically and mentally.


I found it really interesting that it talks about how getting outdoors helps you escape from your mind and from your problems and it really resonated with me.


Sometimes I get the feeling of cabin fever when I have been stuck in the house or the office all day so I really like going for a walk in my local park and bringing a book with me so I can sit down on a bench and just escape into whichever book I'm reading at the time!


I was just wondering how everyone else feels about this? And any tips that you would give to people that don't normally go outdoors but want to give it a try?

Comments

  • Butterfly23Butterfly23 Posts: 810 Part of The Mix Family
    Hello,

    Thank you for sharing this with us! the outdoors can be so beneficial and I know that for me when I go out I feel a lot better, one thing I do struggle with though is getting over the anxiety of actually leaving the house and know that others find this hard as well. I love to go for walks in the woods near my house, and go and feed the ducks at the pond  :) 

    Any tips... well I would say for anyone who wants to give going outdoors a try to find somewhere that you feel at peace with, somewhere that you feel free and also safe  <3 I like the idea of taking a mini picnic, or like you said taking a book! 
  • LaineLaine Deactivated Posts: 2,762 Boards Guru
    Going outdoors is definitely great. sometimes if I feel i've been in too long I'll go for a nice little walk, sometimes it's hard to encourage myself to go so I usually take 50p or a pound and get a cuppa or a bottle of water halfway through or for the walk home,  

    Sometimes I'll "forget to buy bread" so I have to run to the corner shop etc

    Walking is great you can go wherever you want,  for however long or little you want,  just try it in baby steps,  and stay safe when it's hot or cold x

    🌈Positive thoughts🌈

    "This is my family. I found it, all on my own.
    It's little, and Broken, but still good. Yeah. Still good." ~ Stitch

    "Lately, I've been struggling with all the simple things in my life" ~ Cian Ducrot

    "I don't know if it's because my heart hurts or I'm insecure" ~ Juice Wrld
  • L100L100 Posts: 128 The Mix Convert
    Going outdoors in very great I know because I love cycling and volunteering at a animal park animals are fun to be around better then humans even though there’s both lol 
  • Lucy307Lucy307 Posts: 1,171 Wise Owl
    Thanks for sharing! I definitely relate to this and any time I'm not feeling a lot/ or feeling sad I try to get myself out the house for a little walk, which usually turns into a long walk!! 

    Also my tip... I don't plan my route beforehand and deliberately take side roads I haven't been down before to explore and keep it interesting!! And get lost in music so I can forget about everything but where I am :smile:
    Treat yourself as you would treat a good friend
  • Butterfly23Butterfly23 Posts: 810 Part of The Mix Family
    I also love to go cycling, although I haven't for a while but its so enjoyable and refreshing! 
  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,463 Skive's The Limit
    A few years ago I used to go jogging early morning about 6 or 7. Like lol won't catch me doing that now. But I should because it was actually really good. The air is actually freasher at that time because of over night the cars are less around so less polluted air (I think anyways. Def feels freasher) and the after wards I weirdly felt more awake and felt more able to do things cause I guess started my energy up rather than doing nothing all day does make me more tired and sad but can't help it. Also just nice to be mindful of nature is nice too
    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
Sign In or Register to comment.