For the longest time I had an absolutely rigid schedule that involved a weekly hiking regime.
I realized that our mental and physical health was positively affected by keeping a strict regimen of going outside and releasing our physical energy.
After that discovery, I found myself carving out time to take care of my brain and body on a weekly basis. I have realized that the wintertide season does not agree with me. Going out in brutally chilly temperatures does not have the same beneficial effect on our brain. In fact, that chilly air makes me feel like I’m surviving, rather than going for a fantastic walk, still, I don’t want to break my routine, and on afternoons that the outdoor air temperature is way too low or the wind is brutally cold, I will still go to my number one hiking place. However, rather than trudging around in the knee high snow and bracing against the frigid air, I will just sit in my beautifully warm automobile for a while. I can still prefer the sights and sounds of nature from inside our vehicle. However, I don’t have to expose myself to the unpleasant climate 5 hours on end. I can easily chill out in the parking lot and look at the gloriously snowy trees separate from facing the windchill and falling ice that comes with hiking. Best of all, my automobile has an amazing onboard furnace that barely requires any fuel at all. The interior of the automobile is always perfectly warm and toasty. My seat heaters don’t hurt either. It’s warm air and a warm room, I find that my mental health and physical vitality benefit from just looking at nature, rather than walking in it.