por Karla Amador
Take yourself back to your childhood and recall a moment you spent in nature with your family.
I remember when I was young, during spring break, my mom would take my sisters and me on walks at the “Enchanted” Fern Dell Nature Trail a.k.a “Ferndell Nature Museum” at Griffith Park in Hollywood, California.
The trail was beautiful with towering trees, a natural spring that fed the waterfalls, lush green tropical ferns, and lots of flora popping out at you. We would look for magical creatures: turtles, koi fish and dragonflies. My sisters, Sarah, Sybil and I, would run around, laughing, playing hide and seek. I remember imagining fairies lived there. We even found our family dog, Sasha, while walking up the trail to the Observatory.
It’s actually one of the main things I remember doing with my mom.
This was one of few activities I looked forward to as a kid. With three little kids, my parents did not have a ton of money to spend on expensive activities, so walking it was. It’s actually one of the main things I remember doing with my mom.
I didn’t realize it then, but spending time outside with my family was one of the most powerful ways for us to connect to each other and make memories.
Now I know the incredible benefits of getting outside regularly, and with family. The great outdoors can bring you an overwhelming sense of peace and well-being. It increases creativity and overall joy. The best part of all? It’s FREE!
When you bring your family with you, you will all benefit.
Benefits of Getting Outside With Loved Ones
You will:
- Find time and space to communicate with each other
- Enjoy the little things and spend quality time together
- Unplug from technology and your daily life
- Live a healthier and happier life
As you can see, getting out in nature can have tremendously positive effects on your overall well-being and strengthen bonds with your loved ones.
When you get outside regularly, you increase your physical strength and stamina, reduce stress, improve your mood, and so much more.
So why not make it a goal for you and your family in the New Year?
The Goal: 52 Hikes In A Year
In 2014, I was looking for a worthwhile goal for myself. After falling in love with hiking, I decided to commit to a hike a week for the entire year.
Every week I looked forward to my next hike. I enjoyed packing a lunch and eating outside. I enjoyed enlisting my son and friends to join me. I enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment when I reached a summit.
It was life-changing, and I decided to share my 52 Hike Challenge idea with others. The idea took off and spread like wildfire. I now run this movement to help as many people gain the physical mental, spiritual and emotional benefits derived through nature and hiking. We’ve now had more than 41,000 people take the challenge.
With the New Year and a pandemic upon us, one of the best things we can do is commit to finding healthy ways to destress, find joy, and keep our families united. Hiking is a great way to do so, safely of course.
Challenge Yourself in 2021 – Commit to 52 Hikes
I want to challenge you to commit to getting out into nature once a week for a year. That’s 52 hikes in 52 weeks. Are you up to the challenge?
Commit to something that will help you enhance your physical and mental health, build stronger family bonds, and so much more.
Curious about getting started? Here’s what helped me stay committed to my goal:
5 Ways to Stay Committed to Your Outdoor Goal
- Set your intention (what do you want to achieve?)
- Share your goal with a loved one and your immediate family
- Keep track of your progress (log your hikes and take pictures)
- Join a community (engage with people who share the same goal)
- Reward yourself (and your family) for your hard work!
Are you ready to experience the life changing benefits of 52 hikes?
You simply never know where this year-long adventure will take you, but one thing is for sure: you’ll make tons of amazing memories with your family.
Sign Up for the 52 Hike Challenge Now
So, what do you have to lose? Commit to making the outdoors a priority in your life. Sign up for the 52 Hike Challenge now!
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Karla Amador is the co-founder of the 52 Hike Challenge, a global movement that has inspired hundreds of thousands of people around the world to get outdoors and take advantage of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits gained through hiking once a week for a year. Together, with the community she has created a culture of support, which can be seen in over 430,000 images shared under the #52HikeChallenge hashtags on Instagram alone.