Getting back to nature always makes me appreciate what I have. All of life’s little annoyances really seem trivial when I don’t have easy access to things like running water, heat, a stove, refrigeration, etc..
When I have to hike a quarter mile up and down a steep trail full of rocks, roots, and switchbacks between my car and creek side campsite I really appreciate and value the conveniences of city life.
I’m camping in Hot Springs, NC right now.
I’m definitely getting in some good exercise hiking through the woods for four days. A lot of leg work.. literally. My arms also got a good workout because I had to carry all my gear down by hand. I probably made seven trips in all!
But the view was totally worth it! I know a lot of people go to the beach for vacation, but I associate the beach with being lazy. I associate the mountains with action and adventure! Not that there’s anything wrong with being lazy once in a while, I just try not to make a habit out of it. When I’m doing well with my work-out regimen and overall life routine, I want to keep it up! I want to hike and bike in places I’ve never been rather than sit out in the sun all day. Don’t get me wrong, I like the beach too, it just seems to me there’s not as much to do and it’s more expensive.
Walking in the forest, especially in the mountains, gives me an uneven terrain to cope with, which helps improve coordination, as well as hills and obstacles. I can feel this constant change in terrain working different muscle groups and it’s breaking me out of my same-old-same-old routine.
Here’s some more good reasons to “take a hike”
Yoga and meditation by the creek has been a phenomenal experience. I love the quiet and solitude. It helps me focus on my breathing. The only sounds are the chirping of birds and the water flow of the creek. I feel the stress just flow out of me into the earth below and sink down and away.
I learned a lot on this trip about:
Life will not wait for me. It also won’t stop when I’m gone. It was good for me to realize just how small a part of the universe I am, but at the same time I am important to the grand scheme of things.
I highly recommend getting out of the same old boring routine of a gym. Try going camping in a remote area for 4 days, or make a day trip of hiking at a park near you. It might just give you the perspective you need to kick start a new routine.
Personal and emotional fitness, and striving for goals are like a campfire. You have to help it along and poke it sometimes to keep it going. Be persistent.
The New Super You 
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