Getting Out Into Nature

One of my goals for 2012 is to get out into nature. I used to spend an inordinate amount of time outside. Most of my pre-graduate school jobs involved being outside.  And because I live where the weather is generally great year round, I spent my free time at the beach, swimming in the ocean, hiking, biking, etc. Once I started working in an office and became a mom, the amount of time I spend in the great outdoors has dwindled significantly,  which I've decided has had a negative impact on my overall health and happiness.  I'm much happier when I experience the natural world around me.

So to rectify this situation I decided that I need to schedule time each week to be in nature (and my garden doesn't count).  In February, I put on running shoes for the first time in THREE YEARS and went for a trail run.  To be honest, this wasn't entirely my idea.  My outdoor activity of choice typically has nothing to do with running.   I don't really enjoy running and I'm REALLY slow. Like your-grandma-could-beat-me slow and always-dead-last slow.  No joke.  But my little sister who is an ultra-marathon runner (I still wonder if we're actually related) decided that her bachelorette party would be based around a trail race.  Being the Matron-of-Honor I felt obligated to participate in the run. So off I went running into the woods on my first run in three years with the hope that my body has some muscle memory and that maybe this would be a good way to start working on this goal I'd set for myself. Amazingly enough I actually enjoyed the run. Maybe because I did more hiking than running and no doubt largely due to the breathtakingly gorgeous trail.  So this trail hiking/running thing has stuck. I'm not always excited about getting up at 8am on Saturday morning to run/hike, but I thank myself every week.

Also, I've also found that I'm not the only person who thinks that being in nature brings healing and happiness.  Since I created this goal for myself, I continue to come across books and articles discussing the subject.  One author recommended by my son's preschool teacher is Richard Louv.  I'm looking forward to reading a number of his books.

I've found this whole goal a fun adventure in many different ways and I'm loving where it's taking me.
Any goals that you are working on that have lead you on a fun adventure?

Ohm Yeah!

A while back I posted about prioritizing "me time" and my list of projects that I would like accomplish this year. Not to check them off a mental list, but because I want to enjoy doing them and they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  Well, tomorrow I start my first in a long series of yoga instructor training classes that will take me the next seven months to complete.  This is something I've always wanted to do.  If you had asked me a year ago if I would dare to put becoming a yoga instructor on my To Do List for 2011, I would have laughed, rolled my eyes, and given you the old "Ya Right".  But here I am. Dream big and you just never know what may happen.  In my case a variety of stars aligned to get me here, but had I not had a "Life List of Things I'd Love to Do" with Yoga Instructor near the top, then I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be writing this post tonight.   I'm not sure that all this will ever lead to actually teaching yoga.  But if you don't try you never know, right?

I signed up for this first course in February and at the time it seemed soooo far away.  Now it's here and I feel like a giddy child on Christmas Eve waiting for Christmas to hurry up and arrive.  Don't get me wrong, while I can't wait to get my yoga on, it is going to be a loooong 10 days.  I'll be working half days in the morning, attending 5 hours of yoga in the afternoon, then heading home to spend time with my gracious husband (and one of the stars helping to make this happen) and amazing son, then falling into bed to do it all over again the next day. Despite all the craziness I'm still super excited!