How To Find Peace In Outdoor Living As A Homesteader
Transitioning to becoming a homesteader is never an easy process. It takes a lot of grit and determination to go from being relatively domesticated and used to being indoors to semi-wild. So how can you find peace In outdoor living?
For many people, the process takes years. It’s ages before they are at peace with the idea of spending a lot of time in the open air and dealing with the occasional bout of inclement weather.
But, fortunately, finding peace in the outdoors is more straightforward than you might imagine. All it requires is a little initiative on your behalf (and following the right strategies, of course).
That’s where this post can help. We take a look at some of the techniques and methods you can use to feel at home in your new outdoor life. You’ll learn the tactics and strategies required to make a success of it to the point where you’ll wonder how you ever managed to spend so much time inside.
Find Peace In Outdoor Living: Here’s everything you need to know!
Start Off Small
If you’re trying to transition to becoming someone who loves spending the majority of their time outdoors, don’t jump in at the deep end. Instead, start off small and get your body used to the sensations of the natural environment.
We’ve all been on camping trips where the outdoors has just been “too much.” Taking it slow and getting a feel for it lets you build confidence over time and work your way up to being a homesteader who spends the majority of their time outside.
How can you start off small? You might go outside in bad weather or spend a couple of hours gardening in the cold. Little experiences like these train your mind to believe that things aren’t as bad as you imagine and that being outside can be tremendous fun.
Volunteer For Outdoor Projects
Another tactic you can use to get yourself used to the idea of being outside is to volunteer for outdoor projects. Again, these help acclimatize you to nature but also have the benefit of an added social element to keep them entertaining. (You’re not just alone in the cold by yourself!)
Community projects are probably your best bet. These do things like tending public gardens which, incidentally, teach you the sort of skills you need to be a successful homesteader. You can also do things like outdoor sports events, but these aren’t always as relevant.
Find Peace In Outdoor Living: Stop Thinking About Work
You can also find more peace in the outdoors by putting up some boundaries and not thinking about work for a while. Many people struggle to get into the homesteading lifestyle because they remain so attached to the regular, modern economy, with all of its pressures and strains. It’s hard to enjoy your vegetable patch when you are thinking about everything you need to do when you go back to the office on Monday morning.
When you stop thinking about work and enjoy nature for what it is, you’ll notice a change coming over you. Suddenly, you almost have permission to enjoy the outdoors and accept the natural world for what it is. You’re not constantly focusing on the next task or worrying about what people said about you last week.
Learn Outdoor Skills
Another tactic you can try for finding peace in the outdoors as a homesteader is to learn more skills. If you don’t know enough about outdoor living, you could feel at the mercy of the elements.
Some of the best outdoor skills to learn are those involved in finding food and constructing shelters. Being able to meet your basic needs gives you more confidence that being outside is the life for you.
For example, you could take up herb gardening or fishing. You could also learn the basics of construction, allowing you to build out your homestead instead of relying on others to do it for you.
If you are feeling adventurous, you could also learn how to forage. Wild foods are all over the place, it’s just that hardly anyone knows which are edible, which is a shame.
Be Mindful Of Nature
You can also try being more mindful when spending time outside. Allowing your brain waves to slow down and feeling more at peace can help to adjust your attitude towards the experience of being outdoors by quite a bit.
Being mindful simply means watching your thoughts. Instead of thinking, “I am my thoughts,” it is a way of observing them and saying something like “That’s interesting” and then moving on.
The concept is a little tricky to grasp, but once you’ve mastered it, it makes the experience of the outdoors more enjoyable. It enables you to let go of some of the emotions that have been holding you back and enjoy the experience more.
Make Being Outdoors Part Of Your Routine
This next tactic should definitely be a part of your approach to feeling more peaceful outdoors if you’re planning on becoming a homesteader (or if you are one already!). Going outside routine to do something (whatever it is) is a powerful way to train your mind to believe “this is my life now!” Planting a garden can be very therapeutic and being able to eat what you grow makes it all worthwhile.
Once you get this idea into your head, you’ll find that being outdoors comes almost naturally. Over time, you want to be there because it is so enjoyable. Try it for yourself.
Find Peace In Outdoor Living: Journal Your Experiences
If that doesn’t fit your schedule, you could also try journaling your experiences. Writing things down as they happen can be a great way to explore nature in a new way and get used to a new life. Sometimes putting experiences into words helps crystallize them in your mind so that they are more manageable.
The specific way you journal is your choice. Some like writing creatively and letting their imagination run wild. Others are more reflective and enjoy going into the inner workings of their experiences. Whichever it is, try it and see what happens.
Create An Outdoor Shelter
Another option is to build an outdoor shelter that protects you from the elements. With these, you can improve your experience of being outdoors, and even share it with friends to help accelerate your journey toward becoming a full-time homesteader.
If you visit the site linked here, you can get a feel for what these structures might look like. Providing a roof and walls on two sides makes the space feel open while protecting you and your guests from the worst that the weather has to offer. You can potentially spend more time outside, using shelters to monitor your animals or plan the next step in your landscaping.
Buy The Proper Outdoor Gear
It’s also essential to buy the proper outdoor gear if you want to enjoy being outside. Getting it wrong can leave you feeling damp and cold. And if you’re a long way from civilization, practices like those can be downright dangerous!
The outdoor gear you require depends on your area. If you live in a high-UV part of the country, you’ll want to invest in a hat and potentially UV-blocking clothing that works better than conventional items.
You’ll also want to get a set of waterproofs, including a hooded waterproof jacket and slip-on pants. These can protect you from the worst of the rain on days where there’s no break in the bad weather. With these, you can spend much more time outside without getting cold and wet.
Finally, you’ll need the right footwear. You never know what you might encounter on the homestead, so it might be a good idea to wear safety shoes with a reinforced sole and steel toecap.
Make A Note Of Seasonal Changes
Another approach is to make a note of seasonal changes and what each has to offer. Getting a sense of what each season feels like may help you align your body with the natural rhythm of the annual cycle. During the spring you may feel lively and energetic, relaxed in the summer, and winding down in the winter as the year approaches the end. Going outside in the winter can also teach you how to survive and thrive in the snow and ice, which is another excellent skill when homesteading, especially if you are looking after animals.
Be Realistic About What You Can Achieve
You might also want to try setting some realistic goals about what you want to achieve. Okay, you might not be able to spend twenty-four hours a day outside, to begin with, but you can certainly build up to it over time.
For example, you might set the goal of spending three hours outside at the weekend weeding, digging, and planting. You could also decide to spend two hours on weeknights cultivating your garden and keeping it in the best possible condition.
Invite People To Enjoy The Experience With You
Finally, you might want to invite people along to make the outdoors more enjoyable. Homesteading isn’t just about tilling a plot of land and growing your own food. It’s also about being part of a natural community of people who support each other. With these tips you can find peace In outdoor living while Homesteading.
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