The Attitude of Adventure: How and Why We Need to Embrace Micro Escapes into the Wild – Especially Now!

Written by Colleen Dyck in Manitoba Outdoor Magazine

Being outdoors isn’t a chore; it’s a healthy and fun habit that leads to amazing adventures and memories!

The Manitoba Outdoor Magazine is full of fantastic tips, tricks and Manitoba destinations that new or not-so-new outdoor enthusiasts will love and appreciate. Created by John Falk of John Peter Events and many hardcore nature and adventure seekers, Manitoba Outdoor Magazine is made for the outdoorsmen, the nature lover, the thrill-seeker, and, really, anyone who loves the great outdoors!

Today’s blog features one of Manitoba Outdoor Magazine’s articles titled The Attitude of Adventure by Colleen Dyck.

Eastman Tourism loves helping people find wonderful things to do outside in our region. This article from our partners at Manitoba Outdoor Magazine will help you find your motivation to get outdoors and be active! So dive in and figure out your Attitude of Adventure!

Finding your Motivation

The best things in life really are tree! And nope, that’s not a typo. The best things in life are also free. Both are true! As we emerge from this pandemic, our residual stress responses are going to be at an all-time high, and I personally think there’s no better time to talk about the benefits of getting outside! Whether it’s a drive to a hiking trail or a tromp around the block, the science is clear, being near living things is good for us. Our wild living planet and our community of loved ones, two of the most valuable things in our lives, accessible to all, despite demographics, wealth or privilege. We can all get near a tree and call a friend. The problem is, sometimes, we just need a friendly reminder. A perspective re-set!

The self-care advice is well known. Take “you” time, create habits that reduce your chance of burnout, move your body, eat right, on and on. The thing is, finding the motivation to just get off the couch can be problematic! We all hit our slumps, and sometimes our quest for inspiration and motivation needs a BACKWARDS approach! The average American spends 93% of his or her time indoors; this should sound off major alarm bells! So, how do we inspire ourselves to get outside to reap the benefits when we feel like junk?

1). Don’t Wait for a Feeling

Recognize that you don’t have to develop confidence or motivation BEFORE you act. Instead, step out and ACT so that you become more confident and motivated! This paradigm shift will force you to EXECUTE!

This shift in your thought life is subtle but extremely powerful! It kicks procrastination tendencies to the curb! Very often, we are unknowingly controlled by the lie that we need to wait until we FEEL a certain way before we ACT a certain way. We all become what we repeatedly DO!

Another motivation technique that can be inspired in our thought patterns is the realization that there are 3 types of attitudes that hide in our self-talk! They are SUPER easy to spot! Do you find yourself saying or thinking, “I HAVE to do x, y, or z?”

2). Embrace the Power of Choice: Recognize the 3 Types of Attitudes

• HAVE TO: Promotes unnecessary dread. Puts you in a constant position of pressure.
• CHOOSE TO: Empowers personal responsibility. Puts you in a position of power!
• HONOURED TO: Inspires thankfulness and joy. Super charges your ability to make healthy decisions! Be inspired to look inwards and identify the thought patterns keeping you on the couch!

3). Benefits of a Good Old “Forest Bath”!

• Lowers cortisol levels, a marker of stress.
• Lowers depression levels and improves mood.
• Lowers your heart rate, blood pressure and boosts the immune system!
• The aromatic substances (phytoncides) produced by plants and trees have been linked to lower inflammation and provide brain protection benefits! Produces an overall feeling of wellbeing!

Stay wild and adventure on, friends! We are all in this together!

About Colleen Dyck

Colleen Dyck mixed her passions for health, nature and adventure and turned it into a business to help people get that extra boost of energy during adventures, activities, training, or just everyday life with GORP Energy Bars. With a strong work ethic paired with her passion and go-getter attitude, Colleen, along with her husband Grant, runs GORP from their family farm in Niverville, Manitoba. GORP is the energy bar that packs incredible, delicious taste while still offering nutrients, energy, and healthy consumption.