EXPLORING
To explore what Nature has to offer goes beyond simply hiking, paddling, and climbing. It involves stopping at times to look closer at the vastness that exists within a single plant, or watching as the evening sky displays a thousand shades of color to welcome the night. This sort of exploring helps me to enjoy my moments with Nature, but also has a way of illuminating better pathways within myself—pathways toward peace, happiness, and the stuff that matters most.
DISCOVERING
Henry David Thoreau wrote that, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” The way we approach Nature makes all the difference. Maintaining a sense of curiosity—even in the most ordinary of places—can lead to all sorts of discoveries. Life-changing adventures, I’ve discovered, don’t require an expensive plane ticket to an exotic, faraway place; they require only a curious mind and a willing soul.
CONNECTING
All the exploring and the discovering would amount to very little without taking the time to connect with Nature. This connection is really more of a reconnection because we are not separate from Nature. Intentional exposure to Nature helps to bring us back in sync. This is a process—a journey in itself—but I’ve found that it yields some of the richest rewards and is well worth the effort.
Adventure Ryan
My journey with Nature has proven to be more valuable in helping me navigate the shadows of combat PTSD than anything else I’ve tried. This is why I share my journey.
Not everyone has experienced combat, but everyone has experienced life’s challenges and can benefit from what Nature has to offer. It provides healing, but it also provides a path toward not only surviving life–but enjoying it.