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A Relationship with Nature and Adventure
Memories come in many different forms . You may remember a few things you learned in school , like the Pythagorean theorem , or you may remember that time you and a buddy were on an amazing adventure through the wilderness . You know , the time you went down a trail you didn ’ t know much about and suddenly it transformed into something way more intense and difficult than you ’ d planned , but you decided to push on anyway . You endured some risky moments that might ’ ve led to someone being seriously injured or worse , dead ! I can bet that second memory had more of an impression on you than some silly math equation . At least for me it does because that was one of my memories .
If you haven ’ t seen a Trail Recon video , you should most definitely watch a few . Brad does a great job of narrating his adventures for you to enjoy in the comfort of your own home .
As he discussed the relationship between nature , adventure , and memories , Brad mentioned his time at the Naval Research Center where he took Sailors and Marines out surfing and hiking as part of their research efforts . They discovered , in a nutshell , that the more time you spend outside doing a challenging activity the more your mental health is improved .
My own research on this topic led me to this insight from researcher David Strayer at the University of Utah : “ People have been discussing their profound experiences in nature for the last several 100 years — from Thoreau to John Muir to many other writers . Now we are seeing changes in the brain and changes in the body that suggest we are physically and mentally more healthy when we are interacting with nature .”
The point of all of this is that you vividly remember adventures like these because they tend to be part of a much bigger experience that impacts you in ways you probably never thought of . After every trip into the outdoors — whether it ’ s camping , off roading , or longer overlanding trips — I always come back feeling refreshed and accomplished . Simply put : It feels good to be outside . Boom . Science .
Being outside also decreases stress , makes us happier , and stimulates our creativity . Additionally , spending time in nature makes us more responsible , generous , and kinder . Wow ! How amazing is that ? Makes you want to plan your next adventure , doesn ’ t it ? Let ’ s get at it !
GOING FURTHER TOGETHER 53