Be Blessed: And Go Outside!

Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.
~ William Wordsworth

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.
~ Khalil Gibran

For every person who has ever lived there has come, at last, a spring he will never see. Glory then in the springs that are yours.
~ Pam Brown

I will be the first to admit that when it comes to the weekends, my formula is usually "Miss Moon + Hubby-to-be + Bed + Netflix .... and repeat next day", with a sprinkling of chores, hair maintenance, etc. And usually sometime around Sunday I think to myself, "Where the hell did the weekend go?!?!?!"

During the winter, I had the excuse of bad weather... but now that it's getting warmer and milder here in NYC, I really have no choice.... I need to get up off my arse on the weekends and do SOMETHING. And you know? I've discovered that by going outside and not being cooped up in the crib that my weekends are better, fuller and last longer. And most important, I'M better as a result: I end up getting loads of exercise, I end up having a blast, and I end up discovering some great shop, or great restaurant, or experience a great moment. Who wouldn't want that?!?!?

Even the University of Essex recently proved this in a study discussing the impact of spending time outside on mental health.

Take a moment to walk around your neighborhood. Leave the car keys and the metrocard home and let instinct guide you... you will never know who or what you will discover. Invite a friend to join you and talk about the sights and sounds you encounter, or enjoy some solitary time to yourself, and use this journey to reflect and "check in" on yourself(a mini walking meditation, if you will!).

If you are blessed to live near a park, or beach... spend some time walking amongst the trees. Bring a picnic basket and a blanket and make a lovely afternoon of it! Even if its window shopping and lunch with a really good friend. Leave the confines of your everyday space and be open to the world around you.

" This week I will go outside and see what the world has to offer me!"