Spending Time in Nature: Easy Ways to Get Outside More

This week in building health 👇

Your Gentle Reminder to Spend Some time Outside 🌳

Long time readers know that I love a good hike.

Nothing makes me happier than spending some time outside and in the mountains.

Right, now it’s going to be a while— since my wife and I are still in the crucible of newborn care.

Still, I’m already yearning to get back into the forest and mountains.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t get my dose of nature. I’m already thinking about different ways to get outside— maybe even with our newborn 👶

A Little Bit of Green Goes a Long Way

Even though I’m home bound for now— there’s still a lot of trees and little parks around.

I’ve been going there in the mornings and in the late afternoon. Getting a bit of rest and enjoying the view.

It’s still a bit *too* warm for our newborn, but I can imagine taking her out also and enjoying some green too.

Make your activities as outdoor as possible

If the weather is good, why not catch up with a friend outside?

You can spend time at a park, find a nice path to walk, be next to a river or a lake. Whatever you have around you.

Most cities today do a good job of making some green space, so take advantage of that!

Take a Trip & Take Some Friends

Wherever you live in the world, I’ll bet you’re not too far from a day trip and nature hike.

It’s a matter of just grabbing a group of friends, hoping in a car or on a bus and spending a day out in nature.

Extra points if there’s little cell phone signal. That way you really get to experience the benefits of being outdoors.

Read more here 👇

Tell your kids to take a hike — Techno Sapiens

My favorite health things for the week

// one

The Pleasures of Pain and the Pains of Pleasure

8 minutes | Paul Bloom

Do you know that saying “So good it hurts”?

People apply this to fitness all the time.

Working out is so uncomfortable, and can feel like so much of a chore— that the hardest part is getting started.

But when you’re in the middle of it, and you’re feeling tired, and a little beat up— it does feel kinda good.

Ain’t that a bit weird?

Maybe it’s a bit of how our brains work. But we lines between pleasure and pain are not always so clear. And this is true also when we work on our health

→ Read More About it Here

// two

What makes a good life? Lessons from a study on happiness

17 minutes | Vanessa Van Edwards

What does it take to really be happy?

Oh— if only we knew… Or better yet… If only we could practice those things that really matter.

Because time and time again, it is our friends and family that are the greatest predictor of our happiness.

From the article:

It wasn’t money or fame that lead to happiness.

It was social connectedness. People who were more socially connected to their community and friends turned out to be happier than others. They were also physically healthier and went on to live longer than others around them.What’s my takeaway here?

So… Are you rich in connections?

How connected, supported, and integrated do you feel today?

→ Read More About it Here

// three

Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones

Maybe by now you’ve heard of the ‘Blue Zones’— They’re all the rage.

If you haven’t, these are the places on earth where people live the longest, and it’s not rare to find people that live well into their 100s.

This documentary on Netflix dives into those cultures and helps us see into what makes them special.

If you have a Netflix subscription, it’s worth checking out

→ Read More About the Series Here

Until next time

I finally got a couple of workouts in this week!

Nothing too long, but it felt good to be a bit active again.

Hope you’re able to move and exercise too

Have a Healthy Weekend