In my last post, I was pondering on why we don't see more women in the outdoors, although, I do actually see more than I used to. I have stumbled across another gal or two while hunting over the last couple of years. It seems that the girl movement to the outdoors may be catching on. We now have several lines of outdoor apparel designed for us, as well as guns and optics. Woman in the outdoors is becoming a bit bigger every day. (Look out boys...we're tagging along) Whether you like pink camo, or not, the feminine side is beginning to make a big impact in the outdoors. My dilemma is giving more women the confidence to get out there.
This brings me to the next item on my list of reasons for staying inside. Could it possibly be.....hmmm.... maybe a little intimidation, or fear of going at it alone. So...DON'T go alone....find a buddy. I'm not saying, get online and advertise for someone to take you into the backwoods.....lets be sensible here. But grab someone you know well, a significant other, best friend, or even the little old lady next door. Go for a drive or a short walk and you'll both be happier! Just get out and focus on something other than everyday life, bills, stress......stop and smell the flowers for goodness sake. Besides, that's the great thing about problems....rarely do they solve themselves....they'll be there when you get back and you might just have a whole new outlook on solving them that suddenly came to you while you were getting your head together. Fresh air, and a fresh look at the situation may solve your problem for you.
As for myself, I am all about finding reasons to spend more time outdoors. Maybe it's my selfishness that gets me out there more than my fair share, or maybe it's my stubbornness, that I am just extremely determined to get what I want. Whatever the reason, I can usually manage to squeeze a drive to the mountains in my busy week. (It does help that the mountains are only about a 15 minute drive from my house.) I can always tell when I need a 'mountain fix'. I get grumpy and irritable. The point I'm trying to make is FIND THE ONE THING THAT TRULY TAKES YOUR MIND OFF OF YOUR PROBLEMS, and do it, for yourself AND those around you. If only for a couple of minutes....it will help you get through.
After having my second child, I found that my life had changed drastically. I went from being able to spend every spare minute in the mountains hiking and watching wildlife, to being stuck in a house with two small kids that required all of my attention. With two small bundles that I felt I had to hover over, I now had no choice, no time for myself, and an extreme depression set in.....I believe they call it 'baby blues'. Yup....I had them. I found myself flipping out over some of the littlest things. I would practically bite someone's head off and then stop myself and think......'what the heck is wrong with me'. I consulted my OBGYN who told me that I had a classic case of the baby blues and was quick to prescribe an all too common fix of prozac. A bit hesitant, I filled the prescription, but on the way home, I couldn't help but think that there must be another way to fix the problem. I had heard bad things about prozac side effects and was a little leery. I'm not saying the world could function without prozac, (we're talking about my head....remember) I'm just one of those people that doesn't like to take an aspirin for a headache, let a lone an antidepressant. After a long period of pondering why this might be happening to me, I decided that it was simply because I had felt like I had no life of my own anymore. Now.....all I had to do was figure out how to fix it.....
My son was three, and my baby girl was about 3ish months old. I decided it was time for them to get out more. I purchased a little baby backpack and off we went for a short hike near the house. Sometimes I dropped the baby off at grandmas for an hour, but a couple of times each week, I managed to push myself out the door for a moment away. I never used the prozac prescription, but a couple of hikes or short drives played a HUGE part in making me sane again. The moral of the story.....take a minute to focus on what YOU need as a person so you can give those around you what they need.
My kids are older now, but over the years I have taken up several new sports that ensure me more time in the outdoors. Things such as photography, wildlife viewing, fishing, and wakeboarding are just a few of my favorite ways to spend time, and it's time with my family. Not only have I made time for my mental health....but I usually drag one or more children with me. Sometimes it's a one on one trip, and sometimes we all pile in and head off to roast a hotdog just because we can!
We previouly discussed the reasons that keep us indoors, and decided that taking time out for ourselves is usually not at the top of the priority list. Well girlies...I'm here to tell ya', if you don't take a moment for yourself, NOBODY else will!
Somewhere in the middle of Oregon.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Lesson '1' In Taking A Moment For Yourself
I often wonder why you don't see more women in the outdoors. I'm not talking just hunting or fishing. I for instance, spend probably more time than I should, driving aimlessly through the mountains.....for various reasons (sometimes fishing, sometimes looking for wildlife, sometimes just because I needed to get away for a minute). I can honestly say that I really can't remember ever passing another woman that looked like she might be doing the same thing as me.....ever!!
I'm certain there are a number of reasons that keep us indoors, but I'm betting most women will agree that it is just plain hard to find the time. So... lets put down the first reason as being 'priorities'. We ALWAYS have things to do that seem more important at the time. (Yes, we do have responsibilities to tend to) Can't catch the morning sunrise because I have get the kids off to school, can't catch the sunset because I have to get dinner on the table, can't take an hour for myself because......well, you know the routine. I myself have missed many opportunities because I felt guilty taking time out for myself when there were so many things that needed to be done. Though I can't set your priorities in order for you, let me give you a little encouragement in the 'mental vacation' department. Sometimes a quick drive away from town is all it takes.....sometimes it's even less.
How often do you say, 'I really need a vacation?' Taking a vacation may not be as tough as you think. Yes, most vacations cost money and take time to plan. Well, this one doesn't require either. Try this....close your eyes and think for a moment of your favorite place, a place that makes you feel at ease, relaxed, laid back. Think of a place where no one and nothing can bother you. Tah dah! Ok, so I realize it wasn't as fun as a week in the Hawaii, but sometimes it only takes a moment to stop life at its craziest, get your head together, regroup, and get back to reality with a whole new outlook. Sometime, those little 'mental vacations' are a life saver. They can give you a new outlook on something that you couldn't figure out because you were so stressed over it. Sometimes, a 10 minute 'mental vacation' is all you need to go on about your day.
One of my favorite places is about a 3 hour drive from home. With the price of gas today, and a limited amount of DAYS to travel, I have a picture hanging in my office of that area. My job comes with a sizeable amount of stress on any given day. Let me give you a little insight into my brain. Stress takes too much time from a working mother of 3, so I have chosen to omit it from my daily happenings. Sometimes all it takes is a moment focused on that photo to relax me, and lessen my blood pressure. It is a reminder that stress is not worth the effort it takes, not worth the headache, and a reminder that there is more to life than whatever problem I may be facing at that moment. Staring at this photo, I often think of some of the accomplishments I have made while there, and it becomes an instant inspiration for overcoming hurdles. For instance, I once tracked on my GPS over 70 miles that I walked, yes WALKED, in a 3 week period while elk hunting there. 70 MILES.....ON FOOT.....if I can walk 70 miles through some pretty rugged terrain, I should be able to make it to the gym for 20 minutes on the treadmill.
This little 'photo vacation' idea came from my boss, who is from Wisconsin, and would often seem fairly depressed in the fall because she was not home to see the changing colors of the season. Though we live in a really scenic area, to her, nothing compared to the Fall colors in the Midwest. She would often point at a picture from her calendar and say "I'm going there...I'll be back later", and for a few moments she would stare at the photo. Oddly enough, she always came back from her 'mental vacation' with a smile.
Today, we have eliminated your excuse for a moment to yourself because you don't have enough time. Today, a moment, tomorrow an hour, and before you know it....maybe a WHOLE afternoon!!
Let me leave you with one last thought, if you can't take a few minutes out of your busy day to keep yourself sane, you're probably making everyone around you crazy.
I'm certain there are a number of reasons that keep us indoors, but I'm betting most women will agree that it is just plain hard to find the time. So... lets put down the first reason as being 'priorities'. We ALWAYS have things to do that seem more important at the time. (Yes, we do have responsibilities to tend to) Can't catch the morning sunrise because I have get the kids off to school, can't catch the sunset because I have to get dinner on the table, can't take an hour for myself because......well, you know the routine. I myself have missed many opportunities because I felt guilty taking time out for myself when there were so many things that needed to be done. Though I can't set your priorities in order for you, let me give you a little encouragement in the 'mental vacation' department. Sometimes a quick drive away from town is all it takes.....sometimes it's even less.
How often do you say, 'I really need a vacation?' Taking a vacation may not be as tough as you think. Yes, most vacations cost money and take time to plan. Well, this one doesn't require either. Try this....close your eyes and think for a moment of your favorite place, a place that makes you feel at ease, relaxed, laid back. Think of a place where no one and nothing can bother you. Tah dah! Ok, so I realize it wasn't as fun as a week in the Hawaii, but sometimes it only takes a moment to stop life at its craziest, get your head together, regroup, and get back to reality with a whole new outlook. Sometime, those little 'mental vacations' are a life saver. They can give you a new outlook on something that you couldn't figure out because you were so stressed over it. Sometimes, a 10 minute 'mental vacation' is all you need to go on about your day.
This little 'photo vacation' idea came from my boss, who is from Wisconsin, and would often seem fairly depressed in the fall because she was not home to see the changing colors of the season. Though we live in a really scenic area, to her, nothing compared to the Fall colors in the Midwest. She would often point at a picture from her calendar and say "I'm going there...I'll be back later", and for a few moments she would stare at the photo. Oddly enough, she always came back from her 'mental vacation' with a smile.
Today, we have eliminated your excuse for a moment to yourself because you don't have enough time. Today, a moment, tomorrow an hour, and before you know it....maybe a WHOLE afternoon!!
Let me leave you with one last thought, if you can't take a few minutes out of your busy day to keep yourself sane, you're probably making everyone around you crazy.
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