It seems that everyone is looking for the elusive, blissful feeling of “inner peace” now a days doesn’t it?

The reason that most people are working so hard for the attainment of this feeling is because, as a society, we are losing touch with inner peace without really realizing it.

But how?

In one word the reason can only be described as seclusion.

Now, you might be thinking “I’m not seclusive, I’m outgoing and social” and you could be right but seclusion plays a part in your life while it might not be obvious to you.

Please bear with me here…

Where do almost all of us work?  Indoors.

Where do we entertain ourselves?  Mostly indoors.

Where do we sleep?  Indoors.

When we hang out with friends, even in a social setting with friends, where are we usually?  Indoors.

What do we commute in?  Inside of a car.

Slowly, over the last 100 years, the human race has become more and more secluded as a whole based on our working and living conveniences and our entertainment options.

100 years ago most jobs where outdoors.

100 years ago, there weren’t TV’s or computers so people entertained themselves via more outdoor activities.

100 years ago, outings consisted of mainly outdoor events.  Not movies, dance clubs & shopping malls.

The truth is, the outdoor enviroment does something special for the mind, body and spirit.

A breath of fresh air invigorates you.  The feeling of a gentle breeze brushing against your face calms you.  Walking along a shorline soothes your soul with the sound of water lapping up against the shore.  Taking in the sky on a star filled night makes you feel at peace with the world.

There are so many things that this outside environment does for our soul that we take for granted.

Now, I’m not saying we should all go back to living in homes with no electricity and sit on the porch widdling wood all day, that would be absurd.  What I am saying is that we need to integrate more of the outdoor world into our life.

This can be an extremely simple and soul soothing task.

Here are some things that you can incorporate into your life that will help you take in more of the elements of the earth to help you move toward inner peace…

Take a walk early in the morning as the sun comes up.  Taking a walk in the morning right as the sun comes up gives you a huge mental boost.  You can think of walking as the sun arises as a metaphor for the arising of your soul for the day.

And being in a cold place isn’t a good excuse unless it’s dangerously cold outside.  I was born and raised in Alaska and just moved away less than a year ago so that’s not a good reason to not take walks.  Get a coat, a hat and some boots.

Make a point of getting to a body of water every week or two and walk along it.  This could be the ocean, a river, a lake.  Just the sound of water hitting a shore or running along a rocky river bed are soothing alone.  Why do you think every set of relaxation audios is mostly water?  It isn’t a coincidence.

At least once every 30-60 days go camping and sleep outdoors (in a tent).  There’s something calming about sleeping in the fresh outdoor air and waking up in the elements.  Sleeping outdoors recharges you.

Take notice of public happenings outside.  Most communities (or one close to you if you live in a small town) have outdoor events such as concerts, walks for a charitable cause or community events like “clean up day”.

Get out and take part in these events.  Besides the incredible feeling of contribution you’ll get from doing these activities, you’ll also enjoy fresh air, sunshine & get your blood moving.

If you work inside, pack a lunch and eat your lunch outside.  Drive to a local park or just go sit on the lawn in front of your workplace if you don’t have enough time for that drive and eat your lunch.

This will help you clear your mind and get your soul aligned more with calmness.  You’d be surprised how much more productive this will make you and how much more you will enjoy your day.

I urge you to start using some of the ideas in this post in your life and try to think of ways that you can start spending more time outside.  I assure you that once you start spending more time outdoors, you will start noticing more opportunities to do it even more and will start feeling calmer and much more aligned with inner peace.

Love & Peace
Chris Elliott