If you’ve been feeling mentally and emotionally… bluh… these days, then I highly recommend you try this one simple thing.

Go. Outside.

Feel the sun.
Hear the background noise.
Breathe in the fresh air.
Remove your distractions.

The other Friday, I was craving being outside. It had been a really overwhelming week. My husband was out of the country, I was juggling being mom, housecleaner, business owner, employee, chef, chauffeur… the list goes on.

I felt like I was living and working inside 4 walls all day from Monday – Friday.

And working out?!

HA! Good one. I took a hard pass on exercise the entire week (and tried not to feel bad about it).

So when Friday morning came around, I decided I needed to reboot. I needed to get my mindset back on track and to take back control of my energy and attitude. I didn’t want to feel like I was frantically scurrying from one thing to the next. And I also wanted to reconnect to the things in my usual routine that always make me feel better; movement and spending quality time outdoors.

Before darting out the door Friday morning, I packed an extra bag to take with me to work. I brought a set of workout clothes and sneakers. Once I got to work, I went right over to a colleague of mine who is great at working out right after work. He has a little one like me, so I really don’t have an excuse not to make exercise a priority. We all have busy lives. He can squeeze in time to move his body despite this, and so can I.

I told him that I brought my clothes to work and to expect a text from me around 7pm after my workout was done.

I’m not going to lie. After work, I really thought about not changing into my workout clothes before heading home. BUT, I didn’t let that thought take over. I shut it down and refocused and reflected on where I was this week, and where I wanted to go moving forward. If I wasn’t go to change my attitude and my actions, how would I expect a different result?!

I changed into my workout clothes.

And in changing, I was mentally accepting that I was going to do what I said I was going to do.

In doing so, I then shifted my attitude into one of gratitude and positivity. I was grateful that I would be able to spend a little bit of extra time with my daughter at night (despite it being past her bedtime) so we could both go outdoors and enjoy movement together. I changed her into her PJs, brought “Mr. Elephant,” and made her a healthy shake for dinner so we could take it to go.

I drove us to a cozy park near our house and was re-energized when I saw the pathway full of other people walking outdoors and talking together.

I loaded my daughter into the stroller, tucked her in with a cozy blanket, and set off for my jog. Instead of listening to an educational podcast, I turned on some upbeat music and just enjoyed the entire experience in solitude.

I looked at the trees, I watched golfers put on the greens, I scoped out the beautiful mansions as I ran by- picking out the features I loved best and the landscaping I would do differently. I smiled at other moms passing by pushing their little ones (fast asleep) in their strollers as well.

I was just being present, breathing in the fresh air, and moving my body.

I had no timeline, nowhere to be, and no one to talk to. It was “me” time, and it was GLORIOUS.

When I got back to the car, I did take a selfie to send to my colleague as proof that I followed through on what I said I was going to do. In sending the picture, it felt less of a check mark on the box of “To Dos” for the day, but rather a thank you for reminding me how rejuvenating it feels to reconnect with nature, move my body, and to spend time with my little one and myself in a way that felt peaceful, serene, and reinvigorating.

If you feel like you could use a mental, emotional, or physical boost, I encourage you to go outside today. Perhaps it’s first thing in the morning before your day. Maybe it’s over lunch or after dinner rather than watching TV. Whenever you decide to do it, I’d love to hear how your experience went.