The 4 Reasons You Don't Get Outdoors (and Our Fixes for Them)
A lot of my podcast episodes present ways that we may find happiness or simplicity in our lives. In fact — that’s basically the goal of the whole podcast. But every suggestion comes with a set of objections. Today I’m showcasing some of the objections I hear about people getting outdoors, and some of my interviewee’s best answers.
Objection #1: “I don’t have the time.”
Our answer: Make some time; it doesn’t have to be much and the benefits are SO worth it!
From interviewee Tyler: “I heard this concept called micro adventuring. If you can take your family — you might have young nieces and nephews, you might have young kids yourself, you might have grandkids — [you] might be able to get to the playground on the outskirts of your town. You might be able to walk down to the pond where you could, you know, toss a fishing line into the water or even let the kids romp and play at the shoreline. That time is invaluable and any amount of time in nature to escape the increasing age of technological development where the ubiquitous smartphone seems to be in everyone's hands at this point… It's so important to put those devices down and to reconnect with nature.”
“Regular time in nature can improve your mental health and physical wellbeing. Going outside isn't just for exercise, it's for a mental respite, a chance to escape the everyday noise of your office and the everyday noise of your house and to get out into experience the soothing and healing balm of nature. It's something that in this increasingly populated in an increasingly developed world might be hard to escape, but you need to try and you don't have to go far.”
From interviewee Cait: “The parasympathetic nervous system, the one that's responsible for regeneration, for renewal, for digestion, for making sure you, you feel safe and for healing and all of that — it takes three minutes of controlled breathing to activate that system. Three minutes, you don't even need 15, because as soon as you're walking you are controlling your breath a little bit more, even if not consciously because you're falling into a rhythm. So if you go for 15-minute walk, you're going to be breathing to a different rhythm for that time and you are going to enter a healing state.”
Objection #2: “I don’t live anywhere near an outdoorsy place.”
Our answer: You totally don’t need to!
From interviewee Tyler: “Even if it's just out your back door and you don't have to go far. You don't have to have a three-day camping experience in the back country. Those outdoor recreational experiences near a road or near a community are valid too, and they're beneficial as well.”
“We're pretty lucky that there are over 10,200 state parks. We're fortunate that there are 61 national parks, but you don't have to get all the way there. As long as you can find a quiet place near you, you might find yourself feeling less anxious and less nervous and you might even find yourself feeling happier or healthier just by getting there. So if you can't go on a big adventure this fall or this winter, next spring or next summer, try a short micro-adventure where you take your friends, your family for a quick visit to a wild space nearby.”
Objection #3: “I don’t really know where to start."
Our answer: You don’t need to know that either.
“A LOT OF TIMES WHAT YOU THINK IS JUST KIND OF FIVE OR 10 MINUTES OF YOUR LIFE CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON SOMEBODY ELSE AND REALLY INTRODUCED THEM TO THE OUTDOORS.”
From interviewee Cait: “Well to me the most important thing is finding something that you like to do. It can be walking. It doesn't have to be anything major. Like if you'd like to walk or hike, then fine. There are places everywhere to walk and hike that that's something that is always available and you don't really need much. You need a pair of sneakers. You don't even really need hiking boots unless you're sort of in a mountainous area that gets a little muddy. You really [just] need a pair of sneakers and somewhere to walk. That's it. Out of all the things that we do, I'm pretty sure walking is my favorite and it's always available no matter where you are.”
And I liked this gem from interviewee Ben, about how those of us who DO know where to start, can help:
From interviewee Ben: “If you're out there running, you're out there biking, you're out there hiking and somebody looks a little bit nervous or maybe they don't fit in, figure out a way to say, ‘Hey, can I help you?’ Or ‘Hey, is this your first time doing this?’ A lot of times what you think is just kind of five or 10 minutes of your life can have a big impact on somebody else and really introduced them to the outdoors.”
Objection #4: “It’s cost prohibitive.”
Our answer: It can be, but it doesn’t have to be.
From interviewee Ben: “…In cycling, [for example] the tendency is you have to have a $5,000 bike. You know, that puts it out of range for so many people. And I remember we actually interviewed somebody for a local podcast today and talked about how his first bike was $129. You know, you can literally ride anything and have fun. You can go to Walmart and spend $15 for the summer for a tarp and the army surplus store for a blanket and a whole bunch of really crappy food and go camp out, you know, go camp out and have a really good time. I don't advise doing that in the middle of winter, but you don't need these things to enjoy the outside. You don't need to have a membership. And the great thing about a walking or hiking is, for most of us, all we need is a pair of shoes and maybe some bug spray.”
And also this gem from Ben on how those of us who have gear can help make gear available for others:
“And for those of us, like you and me, who probably have gear closets or gear garages, you know, one of the things I do when I upgrade stuff on my bike is, I get a big bag of parts back from the bike shop and I say to the bike shop guy, say, ‘Hey, is there anybody who can use this? Because otherwise it's gonna go.’ Or if there is a jacket that I'm no longer using, who can I donate it to? Who does outdoor stuff? I know that one of the local outdoor stores has a used gear thing. Or a lot of times, you may because you know a great many people in your area. You just post [on Facebook] ‘Hey, I've got this really, really nice raincoat that I've just not wearing anymore or my kids outgrew. Who wants it?’ And I think what I've taken from it is I've been fortunate enough to have a fairly good job and have a little more financial freedom… I think those of us who are fortunate enough to have a fair amount of gear, sometimes when we get new gear, we have a tendency to say, okay, I have to get some of that cost back. Rather than saying, what can I do to maybe pay it forward and give it to somebody else?
Some of the places Ben recommends giving away used gear:
Local hiking club or Explorer Club Facebook groups
Facebook or other groups specific to gear swaps
Local boy or girl scout groups
Your local recreation shops - like your local bike store
Tyler Socash is the Adirondack Mountain Club’s Education Programs Coordinator. He believes in fostering a personal connection with our public lands through exposure, education, and stewardship. The day after completing his master’s degree at the University of Rochester, Socash embarked on a 7,000-mile thru-hiking journey across the Pacific Crest Trail, Te Araroa in New Zealand, and the Appalachian Trail. This grand immersion into wilderness inspired him to defend rare wildlife habitats in New York State's Adirondack Park. In an effort to meld humor with conservation efforts, Socash also co-created and co-hosts Foot Stuff Podcast, which spotlights outdoor adventure, antics, and activism around the country.
Cait Donovan is an expert in Chinese Medicine, a Burnout Coach, and the host of FRIED - The Burnout Podcast. All of her projects are ruled by one thing: End Burnout Culture as soon as possible. She truly believes that stress management is the true medicine of the future and is relentless in her goal to teach as many female entrepreneurs as possible to be more resilient, have more energy, and more fun.
Ben Reuter is a faculty member at California University of Pennsylvania. An exercise physiologist, he holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA). He has interests in injury prevention/performance enhancement for endurance athletes and using movement to enhance quality of life. He firmly believes that movement is a lifestyle, not just an activity.
After travels through Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and Florida for school and work he has been in the Pittsburgh area since 2004. Ben is an active contributor to his profession, with work on a variety of committees of the NSCA, as well as presentations and publications both nationally and internationally. The idea for his podcasts Moving2Live and FitLabPGH came from his interest in listening to long form movement related podcasts that were directed either towards professionals or the general public.
For more on outdoor recreation and these amazing interviewees, check out:
Take a Hike. Seriously. - Was Is Could Be, Season 1, Episode 1 - A look at the history of hiking in the Adirondacks and why so many people benefit from getting outdoors.