“Sweden, friluftsliv is generally defined as “physical activity outdoors to get a change of scenery and experience nature, with no pressure to achieve or compete.” ~ Linda Åkeson McGurk, There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids
When I recently saw this word and read a few lines about it, I was thrilled as I had been doing something similar for the past several years. Pronounced FREE-loofts-leeve, it’s a way of living that involves embracing nature no matter the weather or season.
Back in 2020, I found daily walking as a way to deal with the grief of the sudden passing of my mom. I experienced an incredible peace being in nature. I felt alive. I craved being outside. And year after year now, I have made sure to spend everyday outside no matter the weather.
And the benefit? I have become so attuned to the weather, the season, the signs of nature changing and cycling through the year. I feel energized, mentally sharp and emotionally more stable. Less seasonal depression. And research shows we can reduce risks for many diseases with walking especially outside.
Friluftsliv is simply walking around your neighborhood noticing nature through your senses….bringing nature into your everyday life even in winter.
What’s the ideal goal for walking? Daily for 30-minutes is a good start. If you keep track of steps or miles, like I do, then 7,000-8000 steps or about 4 miles is best to work toward according to many research studies. And research has shown breaking up your walking, throughout your day, gets you up and moving away from your desk or chair which is healthier too.
Now I won’t say it is easy to walk in all types of weather. Winter cold, wind, ice and snow. Thunderstorms and rain. These are all deterrents including hot, humid weather. So I invested in a great umbrella, a couple of good coats (warm winter and raincoat with a zip out lining), thermal underwear, warm hats, gloves, balaclava, warm comfortable socks and boots. All worth it as now I go out in all weather except lighting, dangerous wind chills and ice. And as an asthmatic I sometimes have to take shorter walks throughout the day if my breathing is a bit hampered in the cold.
On recent walks I have noticed many signs that the seasons are changing early for us this year. Throughout this post you can see the bulbs breaking through and beginning to grow. Even a bloom of the snowdrops tight in the bud waiting. Thousands of geese have also been returning.
This week’s vase comes courtesy of my beautiful neighbor and her son. They gifted us a gorgeous handmade vase with beautiful pink and purple flowers.
Four o’clocks and carnations. I added some more left over greenery.
It has brought us so much happiness. They are like family to us. Special people we are grateful to have in our lives.
With this vase, I am joining in with the wonderful meme, In A Vase On Monday, from Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
All the pictures shared in this post were taken with my Nikon Coolpix or iPhone camera, and manipulated on my iPhone using the apps, Pixlr and Prisma.
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