I laughed my head off.
The outdoors makes better people.
Better people help make other better people.
When I first joined a kayak club the thing that was what impressed me the most:
The nature of everyone I met.
Of course, I loved being on the water and learning how to keep this plastic tub upright. Seeing what was around the corner, testing myself against the river.
Making the boat and extension of my body. Or perhaps it is making my body one with the boat? Anyways...
An appreciation that no matter how good I got there was always a greater challenge.
A realisation there would probably always be fear, and I could give in to it, or I could test the boundaries of it.
The more I went beyond fear, the easier it got to do it again.
On the river, the rock, and in life too.
The joy of sitting around the campfire at night, tired, happy, content.
Needing nothing.
Grateful for a hot cup of tea or a mug of wine from a plastic cask.
So happy to crawl into a smelly sleeping bag at the end of a full and rich day.
It changes you, being in the outdoors.
It makes you more self-contained, reliant. Confident. Not arrogant, but content in yourself.
Not needing approval somehow.
Humble too - knowing and appreciating such valuable knowledge and experience and assistance that has been freely given to you.
And passing it along, just as freely.
There’s a love for experience, and a realisation that sometimes the simple things are the most beautiful, and soul satisfying.
A knowing too that no matter how dark the night may seem, the dawn always comes.
There’s always a smile to be had, no matter how grim it may appear.
And that’s the most important thing in life - smiles, and love, and fully being alive.
Living the “goodest” life possible.
My life is so much better because of the outdoors, but also because of the people I met who love the outdoors too.
They remind me, constantly of what is truly important.
They, and the nature itself, made me realise I wanted all of life.
Not just surviving, but truly Living.
That’s what it’s given me: Life, with a capital L, always, no matter what.
Freedom from just getting by; a tool to make the most of each and every single friggin moment.
Do you want the same?
Do you want everything from Life?
If you do, if you want to help me test out this new programme of mine (for free) …
(I’ve decided to call it Mountain Mindset, because that’s what it gives you even if you’re not there)
Go here for everything you need to know, and to get daily emails just like this one:
https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/outdoors/ We begin 4th August so don’t mess around too much.
Any questions? Just reply, I’d love to help.
Have a great one, - Arjuna
PS. I was going to call it Mountain State of Mind but it was more words so I erred on the side of simplicity.
Simplicity is best.
Always.
Keep it simple!