Recently while I was walking with Reid, I listened to Jane Goodall on the Time to Walk feature in the Fitness app. She is such an inspiring and wise person with an amazing life. I truly enjoyed listening to her stories and learned from her insights. Check it out and see if you agree with some of my takeaways:
We all need nature and it’s everywhere!
As Jane talked, I was reminded of the importance of connecting with nature, not only for our physical health, but also for our mental and emotional well-being. She points out that we all need nature, and that we can find it anywhere, even in the middle of a city. It can be as simple as looking at the sky, listening to the birds, or touching a plant. She encourages us to be grateful for the beauty and diversity of life on Earth. When I’m in Vermont, I love to just sit by the White River or Locust Creek and just be. I listen to the running water, feel the breeze and sunlight on my skin, watch the swirls and peaks in the water and see the reflections of the sky and trees. It’s one of my happy places. Find yours!
Act locally to improve your environment
Jane also challenged me to think about what I can do to protect and restore nature, and to help create a better future for the next generations. While it’s easy to become overwhelmed or feel hopeless by the enormity of the situation, Jane encourages us to think and act locally, to find something you care about that will have a small impact. Some simple and practical tips include picking up trash in your neighbor or park, planting a tree, using less plastic, collecting rainwater for watering house plants, or supporting a local conservation group. She points out that it makes you feel good to proactively contribute to your environment and who doesn’t want that? I strongly believe these small actions can have a big impact, and in doing so that we can inspire others to join us in caring for nature. I certainly hope I’ve done so in some small way, even if the people at work think I’m bit nutty for recycling everything!
Just keep walking
Jane’s comments encouraged me to keep walking and exploring the natural wonders around us, and to share our experiences with our friends and family. She points out that walking is a great way to discover new places, meet new people, and learn new things. When we’re all rushing from place to place in our cars, we often miss out on these opportunities. Jane feels walking is a form of meditation, helping us to relax, reflect, and reconnect with ourselves and the world. I couldn’t agree more. My colleague Marybeth likes to take an afternoon walk to clear her mind and refocus. She always comes back in a better frame of mind. Whether it’s an afternoon break or a stroll first thing in the morning, get out there and walk.
Seek out and listen to people who inspire and motivate you
Listening to Jane Goodall was inspiring for me—to hear about her life growing up from childhood to a world-renowned activist, motivates me to follow her advice and be a good role model like her. There are so many ways to tap into people who inspire and motivate you, I highly recommend you give it a try on your next walk. You can find Jane Goodall’s episode the Fitness app on your iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. Give it a spin and let me know what you think!
