Remember To Go Outside
“There’s no wifi in the forest, but you’ll find a better connection”
In todays world, everyone spends most of their time on screens. That’s right: spending. Our attention is constantly being competed for, whether that’s on a computer, phone, pad or television. We invest so much time on these things and more often than not, we don’t get enough in return. You can work and work and work but sometimes you just need to take a step back. You can watch influencers and motivational speakers and read online about changing your life, which can give you fuel, but in the end you’ve still got to get up and do something.
One of the things I’ve come to hate is mindless entertainment. I still fall victim to it occasionally; scrolling endlessly through Instagram, Twitter, or Youtube. While these and the internet in general can offer great things, there comes a point where I become exhausted. I sometimes get to a point where I’m overstimulated, and also asking, is this really good for my eyesight? Is this good for my mental health to be just constantly on here?
And so I turn to the great outdoors. I enjoy hiking, kayaking, swimming, and just in general adventuring and exploring. I love grounding myself and finding myself in complete awe and admiration of mother nature. I love finding others who feel the same and who want to be more conscious in all kinds of ways. But the thing is, I think too many of us — for obvious reasons — view the rest of the world through someone else’s lens. We see other people exploring the world, streamed to our screen at home. And while that is in many ways incredibly good and inspiring, it’s just not the same as actually being out there. Other peoples online content gives us a glimpse into other parts of the world and other lifestyles. But to truly live, you have to go out there and create your own adventure. Make your own story. Stop sitting at home watching, and go start doing.
I find it funny how when I was younger, my parents were always nagging me to go play outside more, instead of staying inside playing video games. But now look at what’s happened; everyone has fallen victim to screen addiction. In fact, not only have parents stopped nagging their kids to go outside, but they put iPads right in front of their babies faces right from the get-go. And what I once resented — my parents limiting my screen time and making me go outside — I now actually desire for myself. While you can’t deny the importance of the internet in the modern world, it is important to avoid overuse, overconsumption and overstimulation. As others continue endlessly scrolling through facebook, I am on a new journey in hopes of finding a bit of mental clarity. And I think that can be found in digital minimalism; that is, downsizing my digital life and not wasting precious time on my screen on unimportant things.
I used to play video games a lot. Back in high school and even before that, Minecraft was an addiction for me, although I wouldn’t admit it. My dad would always make me do lawn work on Saturday mornings, but as soon as I could be back inside, I would be logged back on to the computer within seconds. The moment I came home from school every day, I was playing the game. At the time, Minecraft gave my mind an outlet for creative expression, allowed me to free roam and adventure in an endless world, and connect with friends. In contrast to the bore of school and just the normal routine, this virtual landscape gave me an escape to where I could create and do ANYTHING. But here’s the thing- as I’ve moved on with my life, I’ve come to leave video games behind. As can be understood by my hate for mindless entertainment, I never actually was a big video gamer or anything; I just had this one game that took most of my attention. But as time has gone on, it’s proven to be not worth my time anymore; and that’s because of one profound realization.
Life is a video game. I’d rather be working on my real life goals than some fake avatar. I’d rather be “free roaming” or going on road trips than sitting on my computer. In real life, you are not confined by the rules or boundaries the programmer has set for the game. Sure, society and the real world has it’s own harsh rules and expectations. It takes a lot to be successful in the world today, but it is nowhere near as difficult as it used to be. Once you make a decision to work towards your goals, and once you decide that you HAVE to be successful is when you start enjoying the game. There are hardships and there is difficulty, but that’s all part of the game. You don’t have to follow anyone else’s path, you can create your own. For this game you are playing, you can create your own rules. And as you continue on the path you are on, each step becomes easier and easier as you see the increasing amount of opportunities, and as you see the payoff of all your hard work!
I don’t know everything that this path will bring; but I do know what I want to create on it.
-I want to be more environmentally conscious
-Be more grounded, present, and connected to the Earth
-Inspire others and find a like-minded community
-Bring about social change and help the movement towards minimalism
Thanks for reading my first Medium post! I hope I inspired you. And when things get out of control, remember to ground yourself outside, get perspective and get away from the noise.
