Outdoors Can be Healing
Winter can be a time for hibernation. Depending on where you live in the US, this can truly feel like an accurate state of being this time of year. The natural world acts as a powerful antidote to the over-stimulated, and mostly online lives of young adults. For a generation facing unprecedented levels of anxiety and a persistent "fear of falling behind," stepping into nature forces a psychological shift from external evaluation to present-moment awareness. And young adults need more of this now more than ever! Am I talking about wilderness therapy program enrollment? Not specifically. Mainly just alluding to how being outdoors in general can bring someone’s nervous system down. The wilderness does not offer a comment section or algorithmic feedback loops, but gives you space for mindfulness, awareness, and being full present.
Beyond neurological benefits, the outdoors can serve as a laboratory for developing executive functioning and self-efficacy. Are these continued issues that young adults are dealing with? In my world, yes. When navigating a backcountry trail, pitching a tent, or managing changing weather conditions, young adults face tangible, real-world challenges that require immediate problem-solving and grit. Successfully building a campfire or completing a strenuous hike provides an immediate sense of accomplishment, proving to a hesitant young adult that they possess the internal resources to handle discomfort and navigate uncertainty independently. These are experiences young adults need in order to draw on in the “real world” when life can be challenging. To be clear, life will always be challenging, but they have these past experiences they can reference to help them punch through.
The last part about how being outdoors can be healing feeling slightly ironic. An immersive wilderness experience breaks down the profound isolation that plagues today's emerging adults by fostering authentic, vulnerable community. Even if you are hiking solo, you still have this profound send of connection outside of yourself. If going outdoors with a peer group, then young adults are forced to look each other in the eye, share physical labor, and cook meals together. It’s like 1995 all over again. This scenario describes a space and time where all things superficial melt away, allowing for deep, organic peer connections rooted in shared experiences rather than curated filters. Ultimately, nature provides the raw, unpolished scaffolding young adults need to ground their identity and confidently launch into adulthood. Identity development is the foundation for the emerging adults years, so finding space to be alone (or with others) in an environment where you can be authentic to who you are and who you are becoming can be the most healing of all.
For questions or comments contact Joanna.
