Disconnecting to ReConnect
Recently a question has been playing
around in my mind. While reading about
getting outdoors – whether in your backyard, in a local park, on a regional
pathway, or along something like the Bruce Trail or Camino de Santiago – I have
begun to wonder why some people choose activities such as walking, running,
cycling, trekking or thru hiking when they seek a lifestyle change? It seems to be a choice more and more people
are making these days.
As life gets busier and busier, bills
get higher and higher, and bank accounts get smaller and smaller – more of us
seem increasingly dissatisfied. However,
as we all see regularly in the news – it seems that in response to these
pressures many turn to opioids, alcohol, gambling, video games, or drugs. Reports of the influences of the stresses and
pressures of life – especially on millennial's – are now, sadly common place and
frequent. Yet – often not acknowledged
is the fact that increasingly, in this hyper connected world people are also choosing
to unplug and venture out back into nature.
So what pulls one set of people to
nature – what do they see there? How
does nature help re-balance and give perspective to our lives? What is it about birding and hiking that
pulls so many people outdoors and that can help each of us refocus and navigate
this busy world?
Now at the outset let me first acknowledge
that everyone reacts differently to changes in their lives. Graduating High School, finishing college,
breakups, divorce, mid life crisis, and the loss of a job..... many of us have
a nutty and that just what it is. (Sadly neither chocolate nor ice cream fixes
everything! Trust me I have tried.) For
the lucky few a relaxing weekend, some time with friends, or a summer vacation
can right the world for them. For many
others there is a need to reorient, re-establish their bounds, and
reconnect. The reality is that,
regardless of how we all react during these moments, a change in our lives is
either forced on us or is coming. And
this is unnerving because a forced change makes us all feel powerless. It is unsurprising then that during such
moments each of us needs some time away from everything to figure things
out. This brings us back to the question
– what propels some people into nature and how can being outdoors help us
reconnect to ourselves?
Benefits of Connecting into Nature
At the outset I think we have to
acknowledge that the world of the 21st century is tough and challenging
- especially for youth - who increasingly spend so much time online, where
there is almost no reprieve from commentary, critiques, bullying, negativity,
and online trolls. Students wake up, go
to school, go to work, and come home plugged in to constant commentary. With so many other voices barraging them I
wonder where they find their own? Or
navigate the world once the online forums target them?
More than these challenges, spending
so much time on a computer instead of outside, playing, and exploring means
that people have less and less of an understanding of their physical
capabilities, they have less opportunity to develop their own self awareness or
to be creative on their own terms. Today
achievements have been transformed into online postings rather than personal
accomplishments, and mistakes have the potential to go viral and haunt us for
years. Amid all of this, finding some
breathing room is undoubtedly very hard – if not impossible. I think some time engaged with nature would
help ground all of us to the actual and restore some perspective, common sense,
and individuality to the world. Ultimately,
each of us would be better prepared for life by having more time and experiences
in the wild.
So what are some of the benefits of connecting
to nature?
(1)
You
get to disconnect from the “business” of daily events and reconnect to life
through nature!
(2)
The
natural sounds, rhythms, sights, smells, atmosphere - inherently relax us
all. We are part of this system after
all and our bodies and minds feel more peaceful once they are back
outdoors. In these ways and so many
others, nature provides each of us with moments of peace and simplicity which
calm and relax each of us. In short time in nature – listening to bird songs –
improves our mental health.
(3)
The
outdoors allows us all to slow down our minds and provides us with time to
figure things out. Studies have demonstrated that time in nature reduces
stress, tension, anxiety and relieves depression.
(4)
Getting
outdoors, even for short periods to walk or enjoy a moment on a bench in the
sun makes us healthier! Vitamin D, fresh
air, and increased mobility are all the result of getting back into nature.
(5)
Nature
is relatively permanent; amid an ever changing world nature is a touchstone
which you can count on and return to when you want!
(6)
Nature
is not demanding – it waits for you, accepts you, and lets you be to enjoy,
relax, listen, meander, and explore at your own pace. This means that time spend in the outdoors
gives you a break from society, its expectations, and commentary.
(7)
Nature
can give you more control. You can
choose to walk today, or not. You can
choose how long you stay outdoors or sit watching the bird feeder. You can even choose what type of feed to put
out to attract the birds of your choice.
(8)
Nature
allows you to discover and satisfy your innate curiosities about the world. It also has been proven that time in nature
improves personal creativity.
(9)
Nature
increases your own Personal Awareness.
Time spent outdoors allows you to know about yourself, your body, what
skills you have, and what your limits are.
Nature more than anything else allows us each to ‘know thy self.’ The benefits of which mean that our understandings
are not reliant on friend’s, interpretations, or social judgment. In nature you know what you can and cannot do
through your own experiences. Experiential
education is the best!
(10)Time spent physically engaged with nature gives
way to Personal Growth – you increase your mental health, fortitude, and while
walking, hiking, cycling you increase your physical strength which makes each
of us more adaptive to the challenges around us.
(11)Nature gives you a different perspective. With each trip outdoors, you will see
something new – a new type of tree, a seasonal bird, or different part of your
community. So time outdoors, gives each
of us a different perspective, makes us aware of different options, and in turn
fosters creative thinking.
(12)Above all, even for Citizen Scientists who are
reporting their observations online, being out in nature gives you perspective
and context to reflect upon. Even the
online reporting process, provides a positive focus for people to be able to
beneficially contribute and become part of a supportive network of like minded
people. In many ways participants and
contributors in the Citizen Sciences are a community.
So disconnecting from the online
world allows us to reconnect with ourselves, our families, and our friends!
Come Walk With Us: The Goal
Our goal is hiking across Canada on the Trans Canada Trail is
to promote getting youth back outdoors, back into nature, reminding them of the
beauty of the natural world through birding, and to re-introduce them to the
benefits of time spent in the wilderness. The hope is that promoting these experiences –
the types of experiences people 15-20 years ago got in school and that for
decades people enjoyed amid family outings, in Scout Troops, Girl Guide Camp
outs, and through local organizations - youth will be better able to manage the
challenges that lie ahead in their lives. It will show them that nature and the
outdoors is a simple and accessible bastion which any of us can turn to and
reconnect through. Nature and birding
provide a break and reprieve from the demands of the online world which so many
of us are caught up in.
To be clear, I am not proclaiming
that nature is the cure to all that ails us or will resolve all the difficulties
that people face on a daily basis. But I
do know that time spent in nature is not time lost.
My school camping trips, my summer
hikes with family, years spent kayaking and trekking, and the last three years
filled with increasing numbers of thru-hikes have done more to ground me and
educate me to the realities and diversity of the world than any time I have
spent in school or in the board room at work.
I know more about myself, my capabilities, and interests, and have a
deeper appreciation for other people’s perspectives because of what I learned
on the trail. Simply put, hiking ,
birding and my time in nature have all made me a better person – and now for
the next three years I hope to convince school boards, regional organizations,
and families across Canada that getting back outdoors will help their children
to be better people too. The more people
get outdoors, the more they explore, the better they feel, the more they
appreciate how wonderful so much of Canada is, the more they know, and the more
they will desire to stay engaged in this world and strive to protect and
improve it.
Through
education and awareness, individuals can develop a passion and concern for
birds and their habitat. This fuels their desire to want to help contribute to
bird conservation through the Citizen Sciences, habitat management, and lifelong
environmental stewardship. Such awareness also helps youth develop an
appreciation for birds, forests, natural resources, and the natural world as a
whole.
Ecological connectivity is essential. Hiking is hard, but so is life – perhaps some
time spent doing one will improve how we handle challenges in the other.
Given all of this, perhaps now is
the moment for youth to spend less time at desks and in textbooks, and more
time playing, staying active, and learning about themselves through
experiences. Experiential learning
through birding and hiking....disconnecting to reconnect.....sounds good to
me....
Spring is finally here~!
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