Are you fed up with bad air and traffic noise? Do you feel stressed by the speed around you? Then let's get out into nature! Take a deep breath, slow down, have fun, recharge your batteries. But how?
Into the wild: endless possibilities
Often you notice it much too late: the stress, the lack of exercise, the (perceived) lack of oxygen. It's not just city dwellers who are at risk; even in a small town, it's easy to forget that you should have gone outside a long time ago. Yet nature is within everyone's reach, ideally on foot, by bike, or by public transport. It can be your favorite park in the city, a quiet spot on the riverbank, a walk under the trees. It can also be a day trip to the countryside. A whole weekend, a whole vacation. Just an hour walking in the woods will recharge your batteries more than you think!
Just get going: Nature is for everyone!
If going out into nature isn't a natural reflex for you, here's the best way to go about it:
- Think about what you instinctively most want to do. Hiking, paddling, biking, walking, or just chilling, pondering thoughts and waiting for inspiration? Google it! You'll find so many lists of suggestions and trips! Also handy are magazines, books or apps in which tour and route suggestions for your region are already tested and collected. Don't foget to ask your friends for good places and nice activities!
- Collect all the suggestions and create a list with as many different activities and destinations as possible: Smaller excursions, day trips with overnight stays, routes for canoe trips, a quiet park or forest where you can also quickly refuel. If you want to make a spontaneous excursion, fall back on your certainly fast growing list! This saves time!
- Plan these larger and smaller nature experiences firmly into your everyday life during the week and on the weekends. Don't let the weather forecast stop you! Because: There is no bad weather, there is only wrong clothing!
The latest trend: microadventures on your own doorstep
Experiencing nature is definitely in vogue - and that's a good thing. Nothing is more important than getting to know, appreciate and love our livelihood again. This is just as true for children as it is for adults. "Microadventure" is a new buzzword that's hard to get around these days. As the name suggests, it describes small adventures that you can integrate into your everyday life and experience on your own doorstep without much effort. Whether it's pitching your tent in your own backyard, stretching a hammock in the woods, or taking a night hike through the fields. The important thing is to do something unusual and leave your comfort zone. You'll be amazed at how little it takes to have an "adventure."
"Bathing" in the forest: Medicine from the Far East
"Forest bathing", in Japanese Shinrin-yoku, is a traditional form of therapy from Japan and South Korea. There is even an additional medical qualification in this field there! But also here forest bathing is becoming more and more known, scientifically researched and used in therapy and rehabilitation. Forest bathing involves more than just a walk through the forest. It means simply being, instinctively drifting, and consciously (and unconsciously) experiencing the entire forest with all your senses. Scientific studies repeatedly show a significant improvement in physical and mental health!
Get out into nature and do good: Get involved!
- It can be exciting to get in touch with nature through nature conservation organizations and other NGOs. For example, through so-called nature conservation missions: Here, trash is collected, creeks are straightened, meadows are mowed with a scythe, unwanted sprouts and plants are removed, wild meadows are planted and much more. Such missions have many advantages: You can let off steam in rubber boots in nature, get to know new places, plants and animals, and talk to people who know their stuff. That you do something good at the same time: All the better!
- Another possibility is to get in touch with rangers. More and more cities, foundations and institutions now employ rangers. They are responsible for the care and supervision of nature, but also for information and the transfer of knowledge.There are always action days where you can accompany the rangers in their work - during the day and also at night! Here you get a whole new view of large and small animals and plants.
- Every contact with nature, no matter in which form, will make you aware again that we are (only) a small part of it. On your trips you will probably not only experience beautiful wilderness, but also see the cuts that man leaves behind: Concrete, traffic, trash. Maybe next time you go out with a garbage bag and collect one or two beer cans or plastic bottles on your trips.
