For Your Own Sanity, Head to the Woods and Do Nothing

Sometimes, it’s important to do nothing.

Last week, I went on an annual hunting trip to Northeast Pennsylvania with my father, a tradition we’ve shared every year since I turned 12. While I was there primarily to harvest a whitetail deer and a black bear, I was really in Bradford County to find the peace and quiet I couldn’t find at home with two young children.

Our cabin is located 12 miles from the nearest town, with the most essential establishments like hospitals and government buildings located even further away. When I walk into the woods, there is absolutely nothing but nature around me.

While Northeast Pennsylvania has some of the most beautiful state parks, lakes and tourist attractions, what makes the area so unique is the solitude of the forest that covers the majority of the region.

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Famed author and National Parks advocate John Muir once said, “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” That saying is on a plaque in my office and carries me through my work days and when I’m mentally struggling.

As I walked into the woods blazoned with orange gear to keep myself safe, my mind was full of the problems that everyone faces, from the bills piling up to struggles at school for the kids to uncertainty about the direction of our world.

When I found the rock as old as time that I leaned on and put my bags down, the sun beat across my face and I looked down over a valley full of the remaining vibrant colors from the fall. The birds were singing, the wind was blowing through the branches, and for the first time in months, I felt peace.

Instead of a mind congested with work, family and everything else on my plate, I thought about my long-term goals. Instead of worrying about how much money I owed or when the next bill was due, I thought about the tranquility of the forest and the sadness and frustration I felt inside disappeared.

Some call it reflection, others call it meditation, but as long as the person entering the woods can clear their mind and let the essence of the wild fill their thoughts, they will see the world from a new perspective.

So next time you book a vacation or even just feel overwhelmed, go to the nearest state or national park, walk along a trail to one of the deepest parts of the area and sit on a rock or under a tree. Close your eyes, listen to the sounds of nature and do nothing.

Doing nothing could save your sanity.

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