REWILD YOUR LIFE

Forget completely transformative New Year’s Resolutions, and instead swap them for promises of youthful gallivanting: make 2022 the year you re-wild your life. This year, we should set out to embrace unexpected adventure, spending more time doing things we genuinely enjoy and engaging in forms of exercise that are actually fun.

While this might sound like a big feat, and conjure up images of hikes up treacherous mountains, it’s really as simple as spending a little bit more time in the outdoors. Tackle unrealistic pressures of daily gym visits by opting for weekends spent mountain biking or kayaking – even a ParkRun holds more adventure and gets you in the outdoors. Organised events like the Bantham Swoosh, a beautiful 6km-swim in a sandy-bottomed estuary, offer a sense of thrill and achievement without having to step too far outside your comfort zone.

We should begin to embrace what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, by taking a short walk in the woods. With London home to 41 nature reserves, adventure can be right on your doorstep. It certainly doesn’t require flying halfway across the world – it simply means stepping outside for a little while.

Spending more time in the outdoors will also encourage environmental action. Become more aware of your surroundings, learn what’s going wrong and how you can fix it, and, by becoming more aware of the possibilities of local micro-adventures, you may be less eager to fly in search of thrills, which can only result in a positive effect on the planet.

You can also combine exploring incredible landscapes with making a difference to society with organisations like The Youth Adventure Trust, who use volunteers to inspire vulnerable young people with adventure. Mountain Bothies Association are always on the look-out for people to help care for its wonderful mountain huts, and city-dwellers can take part in Trees for Cities’ planting days. 

Of course, smaller activities also break down barriers to bigger adventure. Build up habits and routines that will lead to bigger one-off challenges; embrace local opportunities that will create lifelong memories, and get out into the wild this year.