Increase in urbanization, we have been living far from nature, we often become fixated in our daily routines. Slowly we got sucked into our own little bubbles, running on a hamster wheel with no ends. Our body is not mechanical, it is organic, and with living constantly under stress, it is bound to give out one day. A research article on the correlation of urbanization, rumination and mental illness by Gregory N. Bratman, J. Paul Hamilton, Kevin S. Hahn, Gretchen C. Daily, and James J. Gross from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America has clearly indicated “how one links to the other and equal to anxiety and depression.” Also, as simple as having a 90 minutes walk through a natural environment has a significant effect on one’s mental wellbeing compared to that of the person walking through an urban environment.

Here at Vancouver B.C, we are blessed with many provincial parks, campsites and trails, let’s take the opportunity and enjoy a free mental health therapy provided by nature.

It is also the time to release that inner child of yours. Since when have you forgotten to laugh out loud, run around freely in the forest, get mud onto your shirt and face. Let’s get the FUN back into your life! Do the same for your children, give them back the childhood they deserve. Through outdoor activities, they will gain leadership skills, problem solving and become independent. These are some of the best life skills you can pass on to your children! There are all kinds of different camps or retreats you can let them go and enjoy during their school breaks, refresh their minds, and give them a chance to be curious and creative!