*I could look at this view all day long.*

Nature is good for you. We’ve been through this before so I won’t bore you with the details. We know it’s good for us. Science has proven it’s good for us. So get your outdoors on.

But it isn’t that easy, you say. It’s cold where I live. I’m too busy with other stuff. I’m glued to my cubicle. I have kids. I hate bugs. I really hate bugs. And dirt.

Excuses. All of them. Even if you don’t identify as outdoorsy, there are still ways to get your vitamin D that are easy and enjoyable. And dirt and bug free. Mostly.

I’ll lead with the full recognition of my privilege. I live in a place where it’s really easy to be outside all year long. I can even go into the ocean in the dead of winter (Granted in a wetsuit but still I submerge my bare face.). Also, I love being outdoors so I make it a priority. Still I believe the ways in which I make it a priority can be used by everyone.

I rarely go to the gym.

*This is how often I go to the gym. I’ve never taken a single photo inside one. Of course, I never bring a camera or my phone in with me so that might be more the reason…*

Mostly because I hate gyms. I only belong to a gym because weight training is important, I like to take some classes, and unfortunately, the castle I live in doesn’t yet have a swimming pool.

I have the hardest time with treadmills (or other stationary aerobic machines). I feel drunk when I get off of them. Not the good kind of drunk. Also, there’s no change in scenery. I know a lot of people like to watch tv or listen to something on their headphones but I enjoying spying on what’s going on around me. One of my favorite things to do is explore new places by foot or bicycle. It’s a great way to get an architectural tour for free. The people watching is usually high quality. And I like to breath the fresh as possible air.

I play sports.

And other athletic activities that take place outside. I suppose this goes along with the gym stuff above but I’m giving it its own category. Of course, many sports that have traditionally been outdoor sports can now be done indoors, but I choose to do them outside as often as possible. There are team sports, namely soccer, surfing, running, biking, canoeing/kayaking, mountain/rock climbing, hiking, yoga. Yep, yoga in a park. Way awesome! The list could go on and on. Just choose your fav or try something new.

I take work outside.

So much so I’ve intentionally made that a part of my business. But I also take the parts of work outside that are done in almost every job. Thanks to 4G and smart phones I can work from pretty much anywhere. There are certainly some downsides to this, but a major plus is I can reply to emails, bill clients, or pretty much anything else I can do on a traditional computer in a park. I’m also partial to handwriting on real life paper so when I’m in brainstorming or writing mode, I often take a pad of paper to the grass and get to it.

I have a dog.

Who needs to go outside. A lot. Even with a backyard in which he can run freely, he still prefers the company of his humans. I don’t always want to interrupt whatever I’m doing when he gets restless, but I’ve come to appreciate the random nature breaks. Like a night walk gave me the inspiration for this post. And I also enjoyed some cool weather along with peace and quiet.

I hang with friends.

It might seem foreign for adults to hang with other adults outside of a bar or restaurant but it’s entirely possible. We have picnics, go hiking, go to the beach, go camping, all kinds of stuff. Even those who aren’t super into it but don’t want to miss out on being with us fun folk come along and end up having a great time. So enlist your crew. Or find a new crew that’s more into that kind of stuff.

Those are just some of the ways I get myself outdoors as often as I can. There are certainly many others and it’s always about finding what works best for you. But you need to get your butt out there so what are some of your favorite ways to get outdoors? Or outdoors things you’d like to try?