The Wilderness

So exiting, in this blog we will discover the Wilderness! Both mentally and physically! Once you’ve a topic to write about a blog, things always come together so easily, also for this blog about the Wilderness. Searching for the title for my blog I came across Into the Wild. Into the Wild is a movie based on a true story in which a recently graduated boy chooses to leave everything behind and chooses to live in the Wilderness instead of living the life that his parents have outlined for him (including a lot of money). A brave decision, a beautiful film with beautiful music by Eddie Vedder. Unfortunately this story does not end well.

I am not that brave, nor do I want to be. But in other ways I’m definitely trying to step into the Wilderness!

Braving the Wilderness

Yes, I’m honest about it: I’m a fan of Brené Brown. I have read quite a few books by her and I also like to listen to her podcasts or when she is being interviewed. She is honest, straightforward and above all a researcher into courage and vulnerability. The last book I just finished is Braving the Wilderness. I had started earlier in the book when I felt I was on my own and literally looking for connection. Recently I picked up the book again and it was very applicable in this time of Corona and the associated Social Distancing.

Step into the Wilderness

How do you ensure that you feel connected to others, but still remain your authentic self? Every human being needs connection, we’re all social beings. We adapt and strive for approval to meet this need. We condemn, we gossip and we divide the world into supporters and opponents. Don’t you? This is not always going well with our true selves. We also want to be reliable, honest, decent. Being yourself, and therefore sometimes standing alone (in the Wilderness!), takes courage and hurts! Here and there I have taken some steps in this Wilderness and it’s certainly not easy. I still have to take some steps 🙂. It’s up to you to decide if you want to step into this Wilderness. If you want to I definitely recommend to read this book!

Maya Angelou

I also want to share this quote from Maya Angelou which is also in the book:

You are only free
When you realize
You belong no place
You belong every place
No place at all
The price is high
The reward is great

Wilderness close to home

You don’t have start working on yourself in the Wilderness immediately. The Wilderness is also closer to home, less scary and less difficult. After I finished Brené Brown’s book I (coincidentally?) came across this Challenge: 30 days Wild. This free Challenge, from the English nature organization Wildelifetrusts, runs in the month of June. Every day you get a new Challenge to do something wild, good for your health and good for the earth too! When you register you will immediately receive a digital welcome package containing the challenge itself, a coloring page and a bingo card. You can also find them here on Instagram and they even have an App where you can find 101 random acts of Wildness 🙂

You can start right away! Another nice idea to start with is making nettle soup! Last year I wrote a blog about it! 🙂

Super fun to do together (with your children). I accept this challenge, you too?