Back on the Water: Movement, Nature and Self-Care

I recently recommitted to kayaking or paddleboarding on every suitable day I am home at the lake. So far, I am three for three, and I am loving being back on the water.

We are incredibly fortunate to live in a beautiful province with lakes, beaches, rivers, trails and wonderful summer days waiting to be enjoyed.

I continue to work out at the gym and practise yoga, but there is something especially restorative about being on the water and embracing the beauty that surrounds me. Nature supports our mental, physical and spiritual health in ways that are sometimes difficult to put into words.

Mentally, movement is imperative. It helps activate the hormones that support our mood, while nature invites us to slow down and notice what is around us. The movement of the water, the brilliance of the sky, the flowers, the trees and the sounds of wildlife bring us back to the place we most need to be: the present moment.

Physically, paddling provides an excellent workout. Whether I am sitting in my kayak or standing on my paddleboard, my heart rate increases at a healthy pace. Kayaking and SUP also strengthen the arms, shoulders and abdominal muscles while improving balance, stability and coordination.

Spiritually, nature often leads me into deeper reflection. Like many others, I sometimes question why God or a higher power would allow such terrible things to happen in our world. Then I consider another question: How do we, as human beings, allow the destruction of the beautiful place we call home and the unkindness that is so often shown to others?

I cannot control everything happening in the world. I can only control what lies within my own circle of power: how I care for myself, how I treat others and how I respect the world around me.

Paddling places me directly in the midst of nature’s beauty, surrounded by foliage, water lilies, the creatures of the earth, the warmth of the sun and the meeting of water and sky.

I look forward to tomorrow, when I can once again make time for self-care and temporarily set aside my worries, responsibilities and endless to-do list. For that sacred time on the water, I can simply breathe, move, notice and be.

I invite you to consider what lies within your own circle of power. How might you make time this week to move, connect with nature and care for yourself?

Self-care is the new Health Care.