07 Aug This is Your Call to Get Outside: One of the Greatest Tools for Recovery

The sun is shining; summer is in full bloom and it is the perfect time to tap into one of the greatest tools for recovery: the great outdoors. There are countless ways to soak in the wonderful effects that being outside can have on your mind, emotions, and physical body. Here are a few to nudge you out the door:

“Place your hands into soil to feel grounded. Wade in water to feel emotionally healed. Fill your lungs with fresh air to feel mentally clear. Raise your face to the heat of the sun and connect with that fire to feel your own immense power” – Victoria Erickson, Rebelle Society

Get Intimate With Your Food

Trees and shrubs are dripping with fruit right now, flower fields are bursting at the seams with vibrant colors. If you have space to grow a garden, dive in. Studies have shown that the microbes in soil act as antidepressants, as does the satisfaction of watching something grow with your help. It’s not too late to plant fall crops, or join a community garden where you might cultivate lasting and healthy relationships for your recovery.

Find a U-Pick near you and fill up your belly with berries or flowers. Go take a foraging class, fall is coming up soon and the rains are about to bring on a beautiful flush of gourmet mushrooms. Or just go to your local farmers market and make eye contact with the people growing food in your community. Farmers markets in Washington State offer incredible dollar to dollar match programs for EBT holders which cut financial barriers to high quality food, and also allow you to buy plants for your own garden from small local farmers.

Host a barbeque or picnic with your community and enjoy the bounty of summer with your loved ones outside in the sunshine.

Spend Time Near Water

There is so much access to live water in this vibrant State, from streams to ponds, lakes, oceans and even hot springs. The simplicity of just sitting by water interacts with your five senses and offers the same kind of peace that you might find in a meditative state.

This is an invitation to go read a book or journal by the beach or a stream. Go skip rocks and tap into your inner child. If you have access, go swim or kayak, or seek out a local sailing or rowing club.

Here’s a little known secret: the Puget Sound has numerous places where you can find bioluminescent algae, so if you are feeling feisty at night, go find a dark place to play in the salt water and bask in the magic of the galaxies you can stir from the darkness.

Fishing season is happening. Go fishing and enjoy the peace that it offers in tandem with the adrenaline and satisfaction that comes when you reel in dinner.

Get Physical

If you are looking for ways to move your body, or move through your feelings, get outside and go for a walk, bike, or hike.  If you are craving community, check out movement classes outside like yoga, tai chi, or zumba or join a team of your favorite sport.

Lean Into Your Artistic Side

If you’re feeling the itch to be creative, sit outside and draw, paint, or write songs and poetry. Bask in the inspiration of what is around you. Another simple way to access inspiration is as simple as just pulling out the camera on your phone and start taking pictures of the beauty you are witnessing around you. By fine tuning your mind towards seeking beauty you will shift your lens on life to find more and more around.

Don’t Over Complicate It!

“Being in nature is not only inspiring, it also has medical and psychotherapeutic potential. By experiencing nature, we place our body in the original functional circle made of humans and the environment from which we emerged. We put two matching puzzle pieces together – us and nature into one whole.” – Clemens G. Arvay (Healing Code of Nature)

It doesn’t have to be much, just sit out on your porch or at a local park and read a book or scroll on your phone. These are just a list of fun ideas to spice up your summer, get outside, find joy, and join healthy communities. Studies show that just thirty minutes a day outside has profound impacts on one’s health– both physically and mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. If you want the nitty gritty, Vitamin D boosts your mood. Dopamine: the happy chemical, will be released through many of these activities. Physical movement is not only good for your body but also helps you push through barriers in your mind and will boost your self esteem.

Whether you are moving fast or slow, being outside is a chance to take care of yourself and remember that you are part of something bigger and more beautiful than you could ever believe, and it’s not limited to the summer; there are boundless ways to continue making time to be outside all year round, so lean into this amazing tool that is just a doorway away.

Get Help Now

Remember, Olalla Recovery Centers is here for your addiction recovery journey. If you or a loved one is ready to seek assistance for an addiction, the first step is to seek a professional who can help. Call or contact us anytime.