Who do you think you are?
Who is this person telling me to shut up and go outside? She’s not my mother and she’s not my boss. Do I really have to take this abuse?
Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Dana, a middle-American, mid-western, middle-aged, middle-of-the road, entrepreneurial mom with a passion for the outdoors and bossing people around. Now I realize that if you’re reading this you’re most likely over the age of 9 and already have your own self-absorbed bossy mother, but indulge me for a minute if you please. When’s the last time you played in the dirt? Made a mud pie? Looked for shapes in the clouds? Caught snowflakes on your tongue? Stepped in a puddle on purpose? Or simply stopped to smell actual roses still connected to the rosebush?
It is my firm belief that the world is losing touch with its naked side. No, I don’t mean anything relating to a nude beach, but rather the raw natural state of nature. If you need to be naked for this part, that’s your own thing and I suggest not telling your mom about it. To use a term coined by Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods,” we are suffering from Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD). The good news is there IS a cure. The bad news? It doesn’t come in a pill.
Are you ready for it?…………………………All you have to do is go outside. Yep, that’s it. No planning, no online preparation, not even an app for it. You simply have to go outside, find a patch of grass and kick off your shoes and stand there. Fact is, the less structured your outdoor exploration is, the better it is for your NDD.
I’ve created “Shut Up and Go Outside” as a way of motivating you to go outside more. I know, kind of passive-aggressive, but hey, I’m a mom. I’ll be sharing my own adventures from my BC days (before children) to my current state as a business owner and outdoor industry expert.
Join me when you can and I’ll do my best to make it worth your while. Now, shut up and go outside!
