How Reconnecting with nature helps me mentally and physically

This past weekend, I took a much-needed trip to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. It wasn’t planned—it came together last minute with a close friend—but it turned out to be exactly what I needed for my mental health.

We arrived late Friday night, set up camp, and crashed under the cool mountain air. By morning, we both felt refreshed, fueled up with breakfast burritos and coffee, and packed up camp to hit the trail. Of course, we chose the hardest one in the area: a 10-mile loop around two mountains.

The first seven miles couldn’t have gone better. The weather was perfect. We stopped for a 30-minute meditation session in a clearing, passed two stunning peaks overlooking the park, and followed a stream down a series of waterfalls. It felt like one of those rare days where everything just clicks.

But around mile eight, things went sideways. After getting wrong directions from another couple on the trail, we ended up hiking miles off course into the backcountry. As the sun sank lower, the reality set in: we were lost. Our options were to build a fire and camp out until morning—or to push on, retracing our steps another ten miles over both mountains.

Being stubborn (and maybe a little overconfident), we chose the second option. Thankfully, I had packed a couple of emergency flashlights, or we never would’ve made it back. By the last couple of miles, I felt completely depleted—but oddly, I also felt calm. I knew as long as we stayed positive and didn’t panic, we’d get through it.

Eventually, we stumbled back onto the road. A park ranger (shoutout to Stacey, the real MVP) gave us a lift the last stretch back to the car. After raiding our cooler for snacks and cracking a celebratory beer, my friend and I reflected on what we had just gone through.

The trip didn’t go as planned. There were moments that sucked. But the challenge reminded me of how grateful I am—for my health, for friendship, for the ability to push through difficulty. Life isn’t perfect, but it’s good. And that’s something worth celebrating.

If you’re feeling mentally stuck, I can’t recommend it enough: take a weekend trip. Visit a state or national park. Go fishing with an old friend. Or just stretch out in a hammock under the trees. Touch some grass. Breathe real air. Studies show it’s healing—I can personally attest to that.