Even When the World Is Crazy–Five Things to Remember

Happy day, friends! 

I just want to share a few thoughts with you. As you may know I have an Instagram account and enjoy posting little tidbits about the things I’m seeing when I’m outside. I post there a lot more often than here because it’s so easy to just put a photo up with a few lines of text, or to make a quick reel. I was VERY reluctant to join this social media world for many reasons but overall am happy I did. There are a lot of other nature nerds like myself on Instagram. Many I learn from, some I am inspired by and others open my eyes to new things.

So yes, some things to share:

1. You are not alone. There is a whole community of other nature lovers out there, many of us working towards the same goal of showing people the beauty of the natural world, educating them about our outdoor neighbors and just trying to get the word out about how we can live in harmony on this amazing planet. I feel like with this nature-loving community, I’ve finally “found my people,” most of whom I’ve never even met. (Yet.) You too can find “your people.” It’s never too late. You can find them at 14, 34, or 84. It is possible. You are not alone, and no matter how weird or “out there,” you may think yourself to be, there are always people you can connect with but you must make the effort, sometimes being willing to make the first move. 

2. Don’t overlook the “good.” Everyday there are many, many things that have the potential to make us sad. The world everyday is brimming with negative news stories. I could create an infinite list here, and I’m sure you can too. But then, if I choose to, I could also make an infinite list of good things, of things to be thankful for, reasons to celebrate, however small. Sometimes it seems the “bad” things outweigh the good things. They certainly seem to get more press, but if you look, you will see good things too. When I’ve overwhelmed with bad things, I try to flick the switch and instead, focus on the positive things.

3. Nature is a powerful healer. The power of nature to heal and transform you cannot be overstated. I am a firm believer that spending time in nature is therapeutic. Science backs this up, and there’s even some commercials about Nature Therapy! Here’s a song, called the Power is Here Now, that I discovered when I was in Austria recently that I totally love. Go spend time in Nature.

4. Slow down and MAKE TIME for things that matter. I want to remind you that time will just keep on slipping away, one second at a time, minute, hour, day, year… it just slips away. We must MAKE TIME to slow down and notice things. If we slow down long enough we can listen to the wood thrush, watch the butterfly flit from flower to flower, feel the warm sunshine on our face, notice the bee napping on a rain-soaked leaf, or the tiny water drops in a spider’s web. Our world IS full of amazing things to see, feel, hear, and experience, but we must choose to make time for them. 

5. Mini Celebrations. I spent a little over 5 months thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. That’s a lot of time to so the same thing! People often ask me how I did it, how I managed to keep going, even in the face of adversity everyday. Of course this is a long answer, but one thing I always name is that I prioritized what I called “mini celebrations.” For me then, those were things like a square of dark chocolate after dinner, soaking my feet in the water of a cool stream, taking time to talk to strangers or look up at the night sky dotted with stars. I think it’s important to celebrate the small moments, whatever those are for you.

Here’s something a guy named Doug said on his Instagram recently (Thanks Doug!!):

“Wow, what a beautiful planet I’m on.

Do you ever get out to slow down and savor the abundance of this life giving Earth? Do you ever stop thinking about work and money long enough to focus on the life giving world around you? Have you ever gone out in the middle of the rain and turned your head to the sky and let the clouds pour down their gift upon you? Have you ever walked alone in a forest just to appreciate being alive? Life is so much more than having material “things,” the most important aspects of life for me are gratitude, love and being out in nature.” 

What are the most important aspects of life for you?

Hope you make time today for something, or someone that really matters to you.