For a lot of people, going away on a trip means hopping into their car, heading down the highway, and making the best time possible. However, there is more to traveling than just getting from point A to point B. A journey can be an excellent opportunity for you to decompress, get rid of your worries, and reconnect with nature.
Here are a few ideas on how you can get the most out of your next trip.
Go off the beaten path
Instead of doing things the usual way, plan your trip in a way that avoids freeways as much as possible. Find a route that is mostly two-lane roads that go through small communities, farmland, and places you didn’t even know existed. That’s where nature is hiding.
Allow yourself some time to slow down and take in the scenery. Speaking of time, plan for some breaks when you’ll be able to get out of the car and go for a walk if a sight catches your eye and makes you want to stop and admire it.
Keep things simple
Another mistake that modern folks tend to make is that we demand everything be grandiose, overwhelming in its scale and scope. Once you start connecting with nature, you’ll soon see that sometimes smaller things in range bring the greatest pleasure.
You don’t have to conquer the highest mountain top or be the first one to set foot in an unexplored area in the woods to have a profound experience with nature. Quite the contrary, all you have to do is look up hiking trails along the way to your destination and make a conscious effort to explore one of them.
Sometimes, all it takes is for you to choose to stay somewhere scenic. A nice view can make all the difference. With open space and peaceful scenery wherever you look, it will be easier to keep nature on your mind. This type of environment will encourage you to slow down as you travel and will ultimately give you more patience as you tackle each new day.
Be mindful of your surroundings
Mindfulness is the practice of maintaining a heightened sense of awareness while striving to be more present. You can easily achieve it through meditation: There is no better place to connect with the moment and with your inner self than nature.
Find a quiet place to sit and reflect, and make a conscious effort to be aware of the insights, feelings, and thoughts that come to you when practicing mindfulness in nature. Doing so will combine your urge to connect to nature with self-care.
Learn a new outdoor skill
One way to keep yourself motivated to step outside is to step out of your comfort zone simultaneously. There is no better way to achieve this than by mastering a new outdoor skill.
You might decide to try rock climbing, sailing, surfing, or be a part of a guided kayaking tour. If it’s winter, you could take advantage of the cold weather by learning how to ski or snowboard.
What’s important is that you try something new and exciting and deepen your knowledge of all things outdoors. Gaining a new skill like these will open the doors to new ways of enjoying the various destinations you will visit throughout your life and enrich your overall enjoyment when
discovering a new place or destination.
Rent a log cabin
Log cabins offer you the same amount of comfort and coziness as a regular house, but with an added twist, since they are more in tune with nature due to their looks and materials used.
If you are not ready to make the leap and go pitch a tent in the deep woods just yet, a log cabin can be the right initial step in getting you closer to nature. They come in different shapes and sizes, so it’s up to you to choose just how wild your next outdoor adventure is going to be.
Try to ignore the technology
Thinking about how something we experience would look on social media is almost an automatic response in this day and age. But, by doing so, we add an extra layer of separation between ourselves and the things we are seeing and hearing.
Sometimes, focusing too much on what would make an excellent photo means you often can’t appreciate the beauty of the moment. Put your phone or camera away and try to be purely in the moment, seeing with your own eyes instead of a screen.
Go camping
If you are feeling particularly adventurous, consider devoting at least one night of your journey to camping. Camping gives you a front-row seat to nature, whether it’s camping by a river, on a mountain, in a field or wherever the mood and scenery take you.
Only when you make an effort to distance yourself from the coziness of technology can you appreciate the basics of life. On top of that, going on a camping trip can also inspire a back-to-basics instinct regarding food, water, and cleaning, which can be very refreshing.
Guest post written by: Rebecca Brown
I’m Rebecca, a translator and avid traveler, a book worm, and horror flick enthusiast. My job has given me the amazing opportunity to travel to dozens of countries around the world, and writing on Rough Draft gives me a chance to try to showcase some of them.