Good morning my friends!
Today is the first day of Daylight Savings Time. Some of you may be enjoying an extra hour of sleep. For others of you, especially those that are parents, maybe not so much! Today I want to share one simple step that you can take to make the most out of the time change this year.
I know that for many of us, this time of year can lead to seasonal depression, or the winter blues due to the lack of daylight hours.
It has been proven that spending just 10-15 minutes outside everyday can help counteract these effects.
There are many reasons why getting outdoors daily is beneficial to our health. The first is that it helps increase the levels of vitamin D in our bodies. Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin”, as our bodies naturally produce vitamin D when they are exposed to sunlight. Research has shown that vitamin D is particularly helpful for regulating mood and warding off depression.
Another reason why getting outside daily is helpful in improving our moods, is that it helps us get closer to nature. As human beings, we are part of the natural world. However, many times, particularly during the colder, darker months, we spend much of our time indoors surrounded by electronics and the worldly pleasures of the material world. While there is nothing wrong with this, the material world will never compare to the natural world. By getting outside everyday, our bodies become more in tune with nature which leads to feelings of optimal health and wellbeing, since being a part of nature is our natural state.
Getting out in nature everyday, feeling the sunshine on our skin, and breathing fresh air, can do wonders to uplift our mood all year long. Colder temperatures and darker days should not be an excuse to confine ourselves to the indoors, when nature has so much to offer!
Here are 25 different ways to spend some time outdoors each and every day:

1. Go for a walk around your neighborhood
2. Play outside with your kids
3. Jump in a pile of leaves
4. Sit outside and read
5. Garden
6. Go hiking
7. Clean your yard and rake leaves
8. Go sightseeing in your town
9. Shop at an outdoor mall
10. Go to the beach
11. Take a trip to the zoo
12. Go for a nature hut and look for leaves, acorns, etc.
13. Create a nature mandala from your nature walk findings
14. Sit on your porch and just breathe
15. Play basketball
16. Do outdoor yoga
17. Ride a bike
18. Go to an outdoor festival
19. Go walking with a friend
20. Take your child for a walk in a stroller
21. Walk aimlessly with your children and let them lead the way
22. Go to a park
23. Play at a playground
24. Rollerblade or rollerskate
25. Swing on swings

In order to ward off the winter blues before they start, I’m joining a great group of ladies in a 5 day challenge to get outside everyday for a minimum of 10 minutes! The challenge is taking place right in our Facebook group, The Stress Free Society. Click here to join the group, get all the details, and join us in this fun challenge! We start tomorrow, Monday 11/6.
Wishing you a fun week ahead. Get outside, play, and be happy.
Be well,
Ambar