How Outdoor Hobbies Can Keep You Motivated
Ah, the great outdoors. There’s nothing like time spent in Mother Nature to help you stay motivated, focused, passionate, excited, energetic, in shape — the list goes on and on. What is it about the outdoors that makes it such an effective motivation tool? Here are just a few of the different ways that going outside can impact your mood, your mind, and your mental health for the better.
Ah, the great outdoors. There’s nothing like time spent in Mother Nature to help you stay motivated, focused, passionate, excited, energetic, in shape — the list goes on and on.
What is it about the outdoors that makes it such an effective motivation tool? Here are just a few of the different ways that going outside can impact your mood, your mind, and your mental health for the better.
Staying Active
It doesn’t matter if you’re going for a jog, riding a bike, or swimming. There’s no end to the number of outdoor activities that can get you moving.
Regular exercise isn’t just good for your physical health. It’s also an important part of mental health, as well. When you exercise, it releases endorphins. These can help reduce stress, combat anxiety, and relieve depression.
Getting Perspective
Another powerful mental health aspect of the great outdoors is the fact that it gives you a sense of perspective that you can’t get anywhere else. The simple act of stepping outside immediately increases your surroundings from a room or a house to the entire world. You can breathe the fresh air, see aspects of nature, and remember all of the other individuals that share the planet with you.
Going for a hike in the mountains is another way that you can take this sense of perspective even further. By surrounding yourself with endless tracts of nature, it can help you remember how small you are and how little your problems are in the grand scheme of things.
Stepping back and appreciating nature’s beauty is one of the greatest impacts that outdoor hobbies can provide. The simple act of gaining a little perspective is often all that you need to break out of a spiraling, unhealthy mindset.
Unplugging
Many outdoor activities have the ability to help you unplug from electronics. Going on a camping trip or taking a day trip to the beach are great ways to disconnect from the internet and leave the notifications behind.
By getting away from the incessant barrage of messages and online interactions, you can once again reduce stress and regain perspective. This can help you reorient your mindset and gain a new sense of what priorities truly matter. Then, once you return to normal life, you can engage with your responsibilities with a new sense of focus and fervor.
Increasing Socialization
When you spend time outdoors, you are immediately confronted with the vast beauty of nature. When you take things a step further and deliberately engage in hobbies outside, you can also run into another outdoor benefit: socialization.
Forming an outdoor adventure group can enable you and your friends to share new experiences. Walking your dog each day provides an ideal opportunity to bond with your four-legged friend in their native element.
And the socialization doesn’t have to stop with friends, either. Joining a pick-up soccer league can help you meet new friends who share your passions. Walking down the road can lead to chance interactions with strangers. Even in the realm of business, team bonding, networking, and even breaks can be enhanced by doing them outside.
Learning New Things And Piquing Creativity
Being outside has been scientifically linked with increased cognitive function and higher levels of creativity. In other words, by spending time engaging in a hobby outside, you are naturally piquing your creativity and your brain function.
This is because we’re not just talking about being outside. Engaging in a hobby-level activity accentuates the already present benefits of being outdoors. For instance, if you decide to take up the hobby of metal detecting, it will immediately begin to enhance your mind. Along with learning how a metal detector works and how to look for buried items, you will also learn about things like:
- Geology
- Meteorology
- Biology
- Electronics
Exposing yourself to so many tangential interests concerning your outdoor hobby builds off of the already excellent cognitive benefits that come from spending time outdoors.
Using The Outdoors To Stay Positive, Encouraged, And Motivated
Outdoor hobbies are forces of nature — quite literally. Pursuing your interests in an outdoor setting creates meaningful experiences that are energetic, unforgettable, and leave you feeling unstoppable.
The deeply motivating feeling that comes from time spent outdoors is something that is accessible to all and sundry. In other words, if you’re human, you can benefit from time spent outside.
So consider what outdoor hobbies interest you. Do you prefer to do something constructive? If so, consider joining an organized sport. Do you like to be alone? You may prefer to try kayaking or bird watching. Are you looking for a form of exercise? Maybe you should take up biking or paddleboarding.
There is no end to the number of outdoor hobbies available. The important thing is that you find what lines up with your interests and then schedule time to spend outside. If you can do that, you’ll be able to tap into that motivated feeling every time you head out the door.