Oof, you guys. This time of year… sometimes it really gets to me. Not only is it the busiest time of year for us bloggers, but it’s also the time of year when lots of feelings emerge within myself. I tend to get caught up in everything being perfect, which results in me losing sight of actually being present in the moment and enjoying it. And I really, really hate that this happens. Nothing makes me feel more frenzied, more stressed out than having to rush from one party to another event… on and on. When The Trust for Public Land reached out to me to partner on a blog post, I rushed to say yes — if anything as the perfect excuse to open up this conversation with you guys and share how vital being outdoors is to maintaining a clear head during the holidays.
As much as possible lately, I’ve been reminding myself to slowwwww down, take a breath… and get outside. It is not always easy to take the time for myself, but it’s entirely vital to my wellbeing. During my most recent trip visiting friends in San Francisco, I felt the stress welling up inside of me — to the point where it felt hard to focus on anything else. It’s moments like this where I drop everything and escape to the outdoors, in this instance I went to Lands End park. I felt totally inundating by social obligations, blog deadlines, an overflowing inbox. So I ditched the iPhone in my car and took to the trails with my camera to breathe in the air and clear my head.
There’s something to be said for how restorative fresh ocean air can be. It’s especially in these moments that I’m so grateful for the work that The Trust for Public Land does — and just how precious outdoor space can be. TPL works hard to make sure that we city dwellers continue to have readily available access to outdoor space. I was shocked to learn that 1 in 3 residents don’t actually have this, especially given how dear the outdoors are to me. I say this not just as a rock climber, but as a creative person: cultivating the places that people love is key to maintaining calm and peace within ourselves. When I’ve spent time outdoors, I am a totally different person. More creative, fresh faced, and definitely a happier person to be around.
To share why nature matters to you, follow this link and create your own #OurLand postcard. I’d love to see it!
Photography by Jojotastic.
This post is sponsored by The Trust for Public Land. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.
