Go outside and play!
Did your parents ever tell you that when you were a kid? I can’t really remember, but I’m pretty sure mine did. I loved playing outside. I loved to wander and explore. I probably wandered and explored a little further sometimes than my parents were comfortable with. Times have changed since I was a kid, and I don’t feel comfortable sending my kids off to wander all day, but I still think they should. I think we all need to take time out of our daily routine and go explore.
There is something special about being outside. Something special about wandering, exploring, discovering and observing the life around us. It could be out in nature, or it could even be wandering through downtown Chicago. It could be by yourself, with a friend, or a group of friends. There is life happening everywhere.
Some deep thoughts
Life is made up of moments in time. We all have good moments and bad moments. Both are important. It’s fun to try and capture moments in photos, video, or even written stories, but most just get filed away in our amazing brains. The moments we experience shape who we are and become. These can be moments alone, in nature, or with other people.
“Time” is the most used noun in the English language, yet it remains a mystery. Everyone experiences time differently, but we all have a past and a future. Both our past and future are tied closely to who we are, and what we experience right now. Ponder that thought.
Here’s another cool thought to ponder that I read:
You live in the past. About 80 milliseconds in the past, to be precise. Use one hand to touch your nose, and the other to touch one of your feet, at exactly the same time. You will experience them as simultaneous acts. But that’s mysterious — clearly it takes more time for the signal to travel up your nerves from your feet to your brain than from your nose. The reconciliation is simple: our conscious experience takes time to assemble, and your brain waits for all the relevant input before it experiences the “now.” Experiments have shown that the lag between things happening and us experiencing them is about 80 milliseconds.
Oops, my mind wandered
That’s what happens to me when I go outside. I love going out for a walk, jog or bike ride because it gets me thinking. Not always about deep, or serious things. My mind just wanders as I observe and notice things.
Do a Google search for the benefits of going outside and you’ll find studies showing:
- It can ease depression
- It may improve your outlook
- It could improve your focus
- It can help you relax
- It can strengthen your immune system
- Improves vision
- Reduces inflamation
- Promotes social skills
- Increases attention span
- Stimulates sharper thinking and creativity
- Reduces stress
- Provides vitamin D
- It is good for your brain
- It makes you happy
- And it can reduce risk of early death
That’s a pretty nice list of benefits. So do yourself a favor … Go outside and play!