The Power of Being Outside
“Hey babe, let’s go to the trail this weekend.”
Those were my words to my girlfriend earlier in the week.
It’s been a little tradition of ours to go on nature walks on weekends. It can be quite magical. Simply spending time outdoors can do wonders for the body and mind. Especially for one’s creative process.
And so yesterday, we did in fact go to our magical (not so) little trail.
The trail I’m referring to is this incredibly long dirt road that runs along a marsh on one side, a forest on the other, with a prairie off in the distance. It really goes on for miles and miles. And when I say miles, I mean miles.
An Enchanting Experience
There’s just something enchanting about nature. Something that truly speaks to one’s inner creative.
It can help spark ideas when you need them most, is incredibly therapeutic, and even help bring out one’s innate sense of play.
Several miles down, we stopped to take in the scenery.
Lush green trees on one side. Hundreds of lily pads dotted the marsh on the other. Ducks blissfully going about their daily lives. The peaceful “sound” of silence overtook our ears.
“Look, babe. That cloud looks like two rabbits running side-by-side.”
“Where?”
“Right there!” I pointed rather excitedly.
I tried hard to envision the rabbits so that she could see them, too. It felt like I was trying to imagine the rabbits into existence and transfer them directly into her mind like some psychic sense or something. Maybe it’s an INFJ thing. Who knows?
“I see an elephant,” she said, smiling.
I laughed.
And we happily continued our trek, hand-in-hand.
No Rabbits
Alas, she didn’t see my rabbits. She saw something completely different instead, even though we were both clearly looking at the same cloud (lol).
The point?
Doing something as easy as looking up at the clouds is a simple yet incredibly powerful way to bring out your innate sense of play and help spark your creativity.
Funny? Maybe.
The truth? Absolutely.
Stop and Smell the…
How often do people take time to actually stop and smell the roses? Look at clouds? Or even go on a nature walk? In our increasingly busy and app-centered lives, it’s all too easy to get caught up in our own work or daily grinds, forgetting the many benefits of spending time outdoors. As a creative, I know it can help to spark your imagination and creativity. I can personally attest to it.
Allow me to make a suggestion: Make it a point to go outside regularly, especially before a writing, painting, music session, or whatever form your creativity takes. Schedule it if you must, but do your best to do it somewhat regularly. And consistently.
You don’t have to be an elf to love nature.
You don’t even have to really love the great outdoors. If it’s not your jam, it’s not your jam. I get it.
From one creative to another. I urge you to just… try it. Let nature and your creativity do their work. Be in the moment.
Just a few minutes outside with nothing but your own imagination is all you need to find your own (not so) little magical experience.
(And maybe some pants. You might need them in most places, lol).
Jeff Aybar is a writer, Sci-Fi/Fantasy nerd, INFJ, veteran, and all-around creative. You can get a free copy of his guide for writers and other creatives on starting the creative journey by signing up to his newsletter HERE.