Find Joy in Being Outside

How have I stayed sane when the world around me seems to be in total chaos? Great question! With uncertainty, daily developments and a constant sense of anxiety, this pandemic has taken a toll on all of us. We all have crisis fatigue, we are dealing with loss on multiple fronts, there is no known end date, and we have no control over it. 

Lisa Dinhofer states these conditions lead to coping and support fatigue. I concur, but how do we find our joy?

One of my greatest joys in life is traveling. It brings me joy deciding on a vacation spot, what to do when I get there, the new clothes I need to take with me and the anticipation of the trip.  Three cancelled trips later, I dusted off my old bike and started riding the trails at Malabar Scrub Sanctuary. It was life-changing. 

The quiet ride through the trails was healing to my soul. Cycling in the woods cleared my mind and created a sense of adventure and accomplishment navigating obstacles, palm roots, flooded trails, wooden bridges, lots of sand and did I mention roots?

I have to admit, I face-planted and fell off my bike a handful of times, but it did not deter my joy. Two trips to cycling mecca Santos in Ocala and one to Munson Hills Trail System in Tallahassee has cemented my love of being out in nature on my bike.

Being CEO at the Greater Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce (GPBCC) allowed me to plan activities to encourage our members and community to get outdoors during our Lifestyle, Health & Wellness Week. Each day, we had an hour of amazing presentations, then we went outside to cycle, walk or rollerblade at the Malabar Scrub Sanctuary. We also went kayaking and on a turtle trek and discovered a turtle hatchling trying to make its way to the ocean.

The GPBCC and Visit the Space Coast just held Mayhem: From Dawn Till Dusk, a unique and very cool event that had 12 hours of continuous drone racing. There was a lot of anticipation of being outside to see professional pilots compete and show their skill as they flew mini drones at 50 mph through an obstacle course. Instead of people playing video games alone in their basement, this community of players were outside in a virtual reality world working together as a team. 

No matter what inspires you, getting outside brings a sense of calmness and wellbeing that helps relieve stress and enables us to face another day with a positive attitude. I encourage you to find your joy in nature!

Nancy Peltonen serves as President/CEO with The Greater Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce. She also serves on a committee for the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast, while always finding time to volunteer with local organizations and travel the world.

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