Yesterday I listened to a podcast episode about the benefits of living an adventurous life. The entire episode was really interesting, but what stayed with me was this idea, which I’m paraphrasing:
When you spend time indoors, your thoughts, issues and problems are confined to the four walls of the room you’re in. But when you go outside, those things are no longer confined. You can let them go and give yourself the space needed to find clarity.
Those words hit me like a ton of bricks.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve felt incredibly constrained by work-related events, big projects, and deadlines. I’ve also been working mainly from home. That combination has led to an overabundance of time spent in my office, with far too little time spent outdoors.
It’s hard to get inspired and take inspired action when you’re feeling boxed in, or at least, that has been my experience. My creativity flows the most when my body is in motion, not when I’m sitting at my desk in front of the computer. I love my office, and I love the work I’m doing, but the inertia has just about done me in.
That boxed-in feeling is even worse when the weather is nice, because you can see what you’re missing right outside your window. Most days I get a taste of it, maybe for an hour total, with my kids after school…which is only enough to make me miss the full Mother Nature experience even more.
So this morning when my husband offered to take the kids out for breakfast, I hopped on my bike and hit the trail. Biking is my favorite form of exercise, and something I do pretty often in the warmer months, but I haven’t made it a priority this spring.
I was thinking about that podcast as I pedaled those 20 miles, many of which provided a wide-open view of green fields and blue sky (I took the photo above on my ride). For the first time in weeks, I felt that expansiveness I had been craving, and it was exactly what I needed.
I came home completely refreshed, inspired, and already looking forward to my next adventure. It’s not skydiving, mountain climbing, or ziplining, but it IS getting me outside of my box and helping me let go of the things that have been trapped within.
My new goal? Finding a way to unbox my life at least once every day, even if it’s as small as taking a walk around the block. How do you live outside the box?
