As we get closer and closer to the Space-Aged future, we tend to look past the natural pleasures that Mother Earth has shared with us since time eternal. We get up, drink our coffee, put on our shoes and jump onto the track to run with our fellow rats in order to keep our lives secure and our minds sane. A few times out of the year we take vacations and do more stressful things such as make travel plans, book early tickets and lock in the best rates in order to “get away”. Still, this construct of clichéd “escape” is pretty much a trick of our minds being that a phone call from the office, a missed flight or an overbooked hotel can send us spiraling back to square one – frustrated, overworked and tired.

One of the best ways to keep your body healthy and together during your work life is to embrace your inner Hippie and get outside. Sounds cliché and typical I know but most of us say we do these things but we don’t really do them. One of the most freeing experiences is to feel the wind against your face with birds chirping, grass between your toes and the sun breaking through the clouds to rest upon you. When we stay inside and keep it virtual, it is impossible to replicate this feeling.

Below is a list of things to keep in mind when considering that break from the rat race. Find yourself a park or trail, take a deep breath, clear your mind and let your inner hippie go. You can go back to filing records on Monday, but when you get out there, really, truly release. Accidentally leave the Blackberry/iPhone in the car, remove your shoes and walk into the grass and return to Mother Earth. You will find this to be one of the best therapies for everyday stress.

Mother Earth’s List of Remedies for the Work Horse

• Workout daily and watch your portions, never eat till you are full. Keep it light and right.
• When forced to make hard phone calls or meetings, force a hard smile before dialing.
• Find a trail to walk weekly, go alone and leave all electronics behind.
• Look for a large unpopular park, remove shoes and take an hour’s stroll through the grass in the evening. Be careful to avoid dog poop.

Nothing beats healthy living, we fool ourselves into thinking all the sugar, grease and reality television is freedom, but is it really? When I am at the top of my game, my body is never on my mind because it is running on all cylinders. I never feel weighed down, my breathing isn’t labored and I just want to get out there and explore. This is the freedom you should feel as a human being, so take the time to take care of you. Return to nature and embrace your inner Hippie!

Written by Greg Dragon on Thursday, June 17, 2010 

Filed under Fitness & Nutrition
Tagged with freedom, reality, workout