I’ve always considered myself the great indoorsman.

Sure, my mom constantly kicked me out of the house as a kid and I would stay out until dinner, but I never found a lure with camping… or any of its related activities.

While people of my generation, and older, would read that with some amount of disdain, I do find solace in bathing in nature.

It involves spending time during the day to enjoy the home this Earth offers. Taking walks along trails, bike riding along paths, visiting gardens, going to the water… whatever is available.

Bathing in nature is akin to actual bathing. Instead of cleaning yourself of dirt and horrible scents, you’re cleaning yourself of the anxieties of urban isolation.

It’s like taking a vacation for your mind.

The Japanese even have a term for it, shinrin-yoku, and the results speak for themselves.

Getting people outdoors today, especially the younger generation, is proving to be a challenge. There’s just too much temptation to keep occupied inside.

However, there’s a stigma when you tell someone they need a bath. They immediately get self-conscious and want to remedy the situation.

Perhaps if we start telling people they need a nature bath, we might see a resurgence of people wanting to stop what they’re doing and head outdoors.