Nature is all around us, and yet so many of us choose (subconsciously or consciously) to be surrounded by technology (all day) and consumed by the daily grind of work, family, social media, traffic, TV, shopping, etc. It's almost as if we forget it's even there, or what our backyards, parks, beaches, forests, etc. look like and have to offer. I know for me it took a separation, if you will, from my last employer to even get to the beach, which is only 15 miles away!
For the last two years I was pursuing my MBA, studying 25-35 hours/week and working 45-50 hours/week, with barely any time for my dog let alone myself. Now, I know some of you have families to care for, but that is not the point, as it is the same no matter what way you look at. So for two years I never made it to the beach, and I have access to some of the best beaches in North America by way of Los Angeles. Sad isn't it?! The first Monday I had off, the first thing I did was drive to the beach and chilled, kicked back, listened to the ocean, surfed, read, etc. for a few hours, and the entire time I was thinking, man how is it that it took this long and something as extreme as parting ways with my old job to get here. I know this is how many of us live and I'm here to tell you to stop and look around as much as you can - go out into nature (hiking, beaches, parks, lakes, etc.), time passes bye so fast that we'll be old before you know it.
Nature for me is like recharging the batteries. I try and go out on hikes at least four times a week - mornings are best. Granted living this close to Griffith Park affords me the luxury of having access to great trails, and in the mornings there's barely anyone there. And those that are all smiling and happy to be outside walking their dogs, with friends, by themselves, no matter what they all smile and say hi and good morning. There has to be something to it, as for me, starting my day this way enables me to appreciate the little things I am lucky enough to have. Things such as my health, being able to run and climb hills, my happy ass dog, living in a city where I can disappear into nature in less than 5 minutes, friends, family, etc.
One of my favorite things to do is go off on a "side-trail" where most people will not hike, and hike up to the top and just sit there; take in the silence, well sometimes, as it is still LA and there are police choppers flying around on occasion, but they'll eventually disappear. Even still, sitting up there, away from the concrete jungle and random people that are stressed out, missing life, hate their jobs, and on their phones non-stop is enlightening - even if it's for 10 or 20 minutes. Not to mention it really slows things down, at least for the amount of time you are out taking in nature - 20 minutes could feel like an hour in "the real world".
One of my favorite things to do is go off on a "side-trail" where most people will not hike, and hike up to the top and just sit there; take in the silence, well sometimes, as it is still LA and there are police choppers flying around on occasion, but they'll eventually disappear. Even still, sitting up there, away from the concrete jungle and random people that are stressed out, missing life, hate their jobs, and on their phones non-stop is enlightening - even if it's for 10 or 20 minutes. Not to mention it really slows things down, at least for the amount of time you are out taking in nature - 20 minutes could feel like an hour in "the real world".
If you really think about this it truly makes sense, we as humans have only been this disconnected from nature for around 100 years, in most cases much less. I am not here to tell you to abandon your smartphones, laptops, iPads, etc., as I am all for technology and it's purpose and functionality. As a matter of fact I consider myself a connoisseur and extremely tech-savvy. Furthermore, I appreciate all that it does and will do for humans in the future. The amount of information that is instantly accessible; the connectedness across the globe, efficiency, productivity, etc. However, I am saying for your own well-being you should go out and enjoy nature as much as possible. Think about all the time you spend in a day on Facebook or checking your phone just to find out you missed nothing; that email was spam; you already saw those pictures of your friends kids; or read some absurd post by someone that lacks the expertise/knowledge to speak on such a subject, etc. I'm sure you get the point.
Add up all that time you spent in your day and then spend that amount of time out in nature, whether it be 10 minutes or an hour - believe me it will be well worth it. Chances are you will become far more productive at work as well. Remember, you are in control of your time and your life - no matter what responsibilities you have. If you manage your time properly, you will have time to go out and appreciate what nature has to offer. I bet it's more inspiring than what you'll find online (most of the time).
As always, feel free to leave any comments as they will be read and replied to.
PS - If you are in need of any Business and Marketing consultation for your small to mid-sized business/start-up feel free to shoot me an email at: modernbizstrategy@gmail.com.
Until next time...
ModernManTellsAll
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