Aaniin, I hope this blog post finds you well! As we continue to observe Mental Health Awareness Month at the university, I’d like to take a moment to share one of the ways I make time for my wellness.
While I’ve always been attracted to the city, I often find myself needing a break from it's fast pace. As a student, I’ve come to learn how to listen to my body and understand when I need to take a break and make time to for myself. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, one of the ways I’ve found that helps manage my mental health is to disconnect from my busy lifestyle.
Being away from the city and immersed in nature forces me to unplug from the stresses of daily life and focus on the environment surrounding me. I’m grateful just for the excuse to turn my phone off! I almost feel like it’s easier to breathe just being outside of city limits. The environment we are in plays a large role on our mood. I try to make the trip more enjoyable with little things from making a playlist for the drive up to sharing a meal with others and sitting around a campfire—these moments soothe and restore my well-being.
I try to make time to escape at least once a month. Whether it's for a day trip or overnight, losing myself in nature, even just for a short while does wonders. I find when I start to feel overwhelmed, I lose sight of what’s important and find myself running on auto-pilot. Just the act of walking through the woods and watching my steps as I go gives me a chance to disconnect and appreciate my surroundings. I’m such an advocate for making time for the outdoors, I can’t stress enough how it has helped me on my own journey to healing. Making the time to be in nature calls us to be present for the experience, and allows us to take a moment to reflect on what means most to us. It reminds me of the relationships that I hold with others and with the natural world around me—it allows me to appreciate and be grateful for what I have.
I know life in the city will still be the same when I get back, but taking a break gives me the chance return feeling refreshed. Not only that, but you really appreciate a good hot shower afterwards!
Being away from the city and immersed in nature forces me to unplug from the stresses of daily life and focus on the environment surrounding me. I’m grateful just for the excuse to turn my phone off! I almost feel like it’s easier to breathe just being outside of city limits. The environment we are in plays a large role on our mood. I try to make the trip more enjoyable with little things from making a playlist for the drive up to sharing a meal with others and sitting around a campfire—these moments soothe and restore my well-being.
I try to make time to escape at least once a month. Whether it's for a day trip or overnight, losing myself in nature, even just for a short while does wonders. I find when I start to feel overwhelmed, I lose sight of what’s important and find myself running on auto-pilot. Just the act of walking through the woods and watching my steps as I go gives me a chance to disconnect and appreciate my surroundings. I’m such an advocate for making time for the outdoors, I can’t stress enough how it has helped me on my own journey to healing. Making the time to be in nature calls us to be present for the experience, and allows us to take a moment to reflect on what means most to us. It reminds me of the relationships that I hold with others and with the natural world around me—it allows me to appreciate and be grateful for what I have.
I know life in the city will still be the same when I get back, but taking a break gives me the chance return feeling refreshed. Not only that, but you really appreciate a good hot shower afterwards!
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