The Outdoor Gal - Find Yourself Out There

    This issue is all about self love and self care. It’s about taking care of yourself and recharging those batteries. We are in the big fat middle of winter, and we are probably all yearning for some summer sunshine and vitamin D.  We are suffering from whatever disorder gives us the Winter Blues!  
    There are a lot of ways that we can take care of ourselves and recharge our batteries when we get the Winter Blues. Some people like to take a day and get a facial and a mani/pedi;  some like to go for lunch and drinks with the girls; while others opt for retail therapy.  To each their own, whatever works for YOU! For the record, I like having lunch and drinks with my girls. I enjoy retail therapy at times, and I absolutely refuse to pay someone to paint my toenails! LOL. I don’t like paying for things I can do on my own;  it’s a personality quirk. I paint my own toenails; I change my own oil in my truck; I mow my own yard, and I butcher 95% of my own meat! When it comes to self care and recharging my batteries, I like to turn to outdoor therapy!  I like to just be IN the outside. Hiking, hunting, fishing or just sitting..Nature has a very spiritual way of grounding you.  It somehow allows you to be more in tune with your surroundings while calming you from the inside. 
    2020 and 2021 were rough years! I wasn’t sure that I was going to make it through 2020.  We squared up with Covid shutdowns, virtual teaching, studenting…..and PARENTING while still experiencing social distancing and all of those changes.  I went through a nasty divorce & custody dealings.  While having to find a house and move, my first baby graduated and then 3 months later birthed my first grandbaby.   I was laid off and decided to go back to school full time.  Then, my truck was stolen…. I mean I think the year threw everything but the kitchen sink at me and then added a dash of depression just for good measure. 
    Needless to say, I was very ready to ring in the new year and usher 2021 in with fervor and gusto! I didn’t even make a new year’s resolution; I just wanted to survive the year without anything else crazy. 2021 took the cake though and put me on my knees one fine summer day without an ounce of effort. Life is like that you know….as savage as a Nile crocodile sneaking up and nabbing a baby wildebeest taking a nice drink of water.  Then it silently swims off to nap contentedly in the sun with a full belly leaving the mama wildebeest to mourn her loss while all the while the sun sets and rises all over again. It’s called the circle of life, and life’s circumstances shook me to the core this past year.   I learned that one has to take the wins where you can find them.
    If I learned anything, I’ve learned this….With enough grit and determination, I can get through anything, and so can every single one of you! Grit isn’t easily found though. It’s something that you have inside of you that only surfaces when things get tough. I firmly believe that it’s EARNED…and earned in the trenches of life. It is important to find your centering calm place.  For many of us sisters of the outdoors…and for me, that’s nature, being in nature, and interacting with nature. Whether it is the treestand, a hiking trail, camping at the lake, kayaking down the river, sitting on a nice fishing bank,  the walking path or a park bench, nature is where it’s at.  There is something so serene about breathing the fresh air, watching the wildlife and listening to the breeze. Nature can be extremely beneficial for your mental health. There are so many benefits!
    I have read all kinds of things about Grounding and Earthing. As you know our bodies are driven by electrical impulses, and the practice of grounding or earthing is based on the Earth’s electrical charges. There are studies and therapies using electroshock and electric charges of all kinds.  Our hearts can be restarted by introducing an electric shock or impulse to it.  Also, an irregular heartbeat can be set back to a normal sinus rhythm by a good shock.  There are many other examples of electricity being used for therapeutic treatments of all kinds and for a plethora of reasons. I find it all very interesting, and if you think about it… it just makes sense.  
    When you need to find your grit or your centering calming place, look to nature. I can’t tell you how many days I needed to just be outside. I had no specific chore or task; I just sat there. Walked, wandered, meandered, and sat by the creek just listening. I’ve even wandered down there in the wee hours of the morning to just sit there in silence in the dark. Nature has a way of making all of our troubles seem smaller, less impending, and less immediate. Perspective is key and it has always helped me to keep my perspective. When you find yourself worn out, worn down and needing a break, get outside! Put that phone away and let your mind get lost in the great outdoors! Chances are, you will find yourself out there!

~The Outdoor Gal
       TaMara Skipworth