In order to get inside you must get OUTside.

South shore of Lake Superior- Gunnar's paw prints (CMG original)

I woke up today after sleeping 11 hours!  Yep, 11.  I felt like I could have slept more.  I was TIRED! I have been working 8-12 hours a day.  I have been waking up every 4 hours to give our son with the broken elbow his pain medication. I have also been on the verge of the first school-year cold.  So, sleeping was exactly what I needed. 

The other thing I could tell was that my body needed some outdoor time.  When I woke up, I thought about how much I would love to go camping at a local state park and spend the weekend out in nature.  At the end of the week, I spoke to a friend who wanted to get together.  She suggested brunch and I suggested a walk with our dogs.  I am inside a building in a room without windows for 6+ hours during the week.  I love this time of year and I want to be outdoors!  Cool nights, warm days, leaves starting to change colors- there is nothing like it- fall in the northland.   So, it didn’t surprise me when the oracle card I picked this morning said, “spend more time outdoors”.

Spending time in nature can help to get to the root of your being.  It can help relieve stress and relax your mind.  The other thing that getting out in nature can do is tire you out!  A brisk walk among some trees, near a lake, breathing in fresh air, gets your heart pumping, your lungs expanding and your muscles receive more oxygen.  I witnessed first hand what happens when you do far too much couch surfing.

Friday, we took students to the Minnesota Zoo.  It is a fairly large zoo where the animals are in as natural of an environment as they can be.  These students range in age from 14-18.  They are inner city youth who live mostly in poverty.  We walked, mostly outside for 3 hours- taking breaks along the way.  After about an hour, they were done.  Pleas to sit, to go inside, to GO BACK TO SCHOOL, were like a cacophony of crickets on a summer night.  We urged them on.  When we finally did get back to school, many students literally collapsed on the floor.  This was good.  My thought was, we should do this more often.  Their brains were stimulated, their bodies were stimulated and my guess is they had a great nights sleep. 

Especially those of us that live in urban areas have to make it a priority to find nature, to get to a river, a lake or a pond.  To find the local park with trees and breathe in the oxygen they provide for us.  Being in nature will help you to vibrate at a higher energy level and give you more clarity to the circumstances in your life.  If you live in a rural area, make sure you focus on the nature around you and not the tasks at hand for a bit of time every day.  Even if we live in nature on a regular basis, we may not actually BE present.  Slowly breathe in and out as you walk, ride your horse, run.  Notice the leaves, the sand, the water, how they move, lay still, grow effortlessly.  If you notice that you start to plan your day or make your lists, recognize it and then bring your attention back to your breathing.  Your breath and your body are all that you need focus on. 

Make a commitment to yourself today to get outside!  Put it on your calendar.  Schedule time to commune with nature and nurture your inside by getting outside.