Getting outdoors is well known to be good for our mental health, but what about getting outdoors to feel good in our bodies? This is not about losing weight, exercising, and meeting the ideals of today’s society. This is about embracing what you have. I have gathered up my top three outdoor activities which help me to find confidence in my body. The activities listed here do not require specialist equipment or a high skill level and are accessible to everyone with a little creativity.
Finding the wild in the water
Stripping off your warm safety net of layers and facing a large body of water is incredibly therapeutic. Find a loch, head to the coast, or even a big pond will do the trick. You don’t have to go out of your depth – you don’t even have to get your hair wet to get the mental benefits.
Take two minutes before you take the plunge. Notice how the ripples on the water reflect the stretch marks on your thighs, how the great rolling waves mimic your relaxed tummy, and how this huge ecosystem before you is so full of life. Know that in this water, you are only another insignificant fish in a big sea. The fish won’t judge your body, nor will the crabs or the people on the shore. So what if they do? You are your harshest critic – let that part of you wash away with the tide.
I find that wild swimming provides a mental reset – like turning my brain off and on again. Worries are washed away, and it’s easier to remember what’s important. Read more about Brig’s thoughts on wild swimming here.
A dot on the map
Put on those dusty boots and climb a hill. It’s easier than you might think.
Going hill walking permits the space to think. Getting outside into a big landscape helps me to put my problems into perspective, and moving and breathing helps me to feel alive. An element of clarity and confidence grows as you look down on where you came from, so small and far away. It doesn’t matter if you have walked one mile or ten miles – your body got you there, and that’s amazing. The mountains offer another world, providing escapism from Vogue and TikTok, and giving you the chance to return to your roots and find body confidence in the outdoors.
Making room for mindfulness
Yoga might not be everyone’s cup of tea. It comes with connotations of ‘mid-life crisis almond mum tries to be cool’ – but that’s not the case.
Yoga allows you the time and space to move your body and connect with it. Being outdoors adds elements of fresh air, sunshine (if you’re lucky) and a cool breeze to provide the ideal environment to load up YouTube and follow some guided yoga. There’s a huge volume of resources available, from wheelchair-friendly yoga to sleep yoga; go forth and discover how this movement and mindfulness gives room to feel grateful for the body that you have – it has got you this far after all. Don’t be ashamed of something so strong and beautiful.
So, why not?
With any luck, this wee article will have encouraged you to get outdoors and find the positivity and body confidence that you deserve (instead of giving you the ick – a significant risk factor when writing this). There’s no reason not to give at least one of these a shot. You might be surprised by what you find.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels
Journalism student at the University of Stirling & BRAW Magazine editor 24/25 and 25/26 🙂
You can see my portfolio here: https://www.clippings.me/alicepollard
