My self care routine isn't what you might expect. I don't find myself through typical routines like yoga, enjoying a hot beverage, or a manicure.

I find myself in the forest.

My moments when I'm most at peace involve getting into nature. The where's are not truly important - some days it's walking a well-trodden trail that I know like the back of my hand. Others, I tromp through the bush around my farm in an old tractor ruts. On really busy weeks, I sit silently at a picnic table and enjoy my lunch while the sun shines down on my face.

These are the moments that matter.  They bring back my breath, and they bring back my creative brain.

Walking along with my dog rambling around by my side, I can't help but notice the snow crunching beneath my feet. My awareness starts to show me little signs of spring that I have missed - the buds on the willow tree my kids love to climb, the snow slowly receding and melting into the creek, and the return of the sparrows chirping in the trees.

My curiosity almost always gets the best of me. These little pockets of nature hold things that are still mysterious. With my many visits, I know I will never unlock the wild, unsurveyed and unfathomable truths that nature holds.  It just can't be done.

The wilds (in town and out) also remind me about perseverance. Plants and trees grow in places that are simply amazing. They don't need much. A little dirt, a little moisture.

Next time you're feeling hairy, try my method. Leave your cell phone at home, lace up your runners, and hit a trail with some trees.

"In every walk with nature, one receives more than he seeks". [john muir]