Finding things to enjoy outside
I love to be outside! I even don’t mind it when it’s cold & snowy, just for shorter amounts of time. Unless I’m hiking, then your body warms up after a bit & it’s not bad.
We grew up learning how good the fresh air is for us and this is the perfect time- few bugs still, pleasant temperatures and the breezes to cool when the sun is out and it’s warm.
And going barefoot- I love to be barefoot! In the last few years I’ve read some articles that state having bare skin touching the ground is very good for you. Beneficial microbes can get on your feet & hands. I do prefer to garden without gloves, so I have better feel with my fingers, but knowing there’s benefits to getting my hands dirty makes it worth the extra clean up time. 🙂
If you find you don’t enjoy being outside, search for activities that either must be done outside or can be. I have a nice deck that has no cover, so we put a gazebo structure on it and provide shade for more pleasant sitting in the sun. It’s great for eating breakfast/lunch/dinner, checking email, reading a book 📚 or magazines.
It’s so peaceful to sit & have a meal or read while listening to the birds, and sometimes the hum of neighborhood lawnmowers. Even the occasional noisy child screaming in play; but when that goes on continuously it can get annoying.
If you don’t like to sit, go for a walk or jog in your neighborhood or find a park. Bring a friend if you like. I even find I enjoy the work of keeping my yard nice. My husband rarely gets to mow the grass because I use that as activity & fresh air opportunity.
Another great way to spend time outside is gardening: flowers 🌸 or veggies 🍅. Keeping up with weeding the gardens & watering the potted plants 🪴 is a great way to get some outdoor time in each day.
Or set up bird feeders to watch the birds:; seeds, suet, nut 🥜 or hummingbird nectar. An easy hummingbird nectar recipe I found uses 3 parts hot tap water and 1 part sugar. Stir till sugar is dissolved and then fill the feeder; Hang outside. II’ve also read to change the nectar every week or 2 to keep it fresh. Last year even my husband found he really enjoys watching them dart around.
Outdoor sports are another great way to get fresh air; things like baseball ⚾️/softball, soccer, or referees for them, sand volleyball 🏐. Or cheering your kids, your friends kids or friends playing sports.
Or camping 🏕 - we used to camp in the backyard once or twice a summer with our kids, so it doesn’t have to be a big trip if you don’t want to Also fishing 🎣 is a great outdoor activity
I also enjoy foraging and exploring outside, using field guides to learn to identify birds, plants or trees.
There are probably many more things I haven’t thought of, but let’s make time to get that fresh air and contact with the earth this year!