There are hundreds. I bet if we asked you to list 10 benefits of getting outside, you could easily reel them off in an instant. 

This month we want to focus on ‘changing our emotional state’. Shifting from a state of anxiety or frustration into…an emotional state that just feels better. 

Yes, it’s an obvious one, but sometimes taken for granted.  

In coaching terms, we often help the client to ‘break state’ when they’re caught in a loop on a certain issue or descending quickly into an emotion that’s not resourceful for them at that point. This isn’t about supressing or negating emotion. They are important signals for us to notice. Breaking state (or changing emotion) allows us to breathe. It allows us to look up and out and remember there’s a big world out there and we’re a teeny part of that. It gives us perspective and resets us to ‘try again’.  

A coach will do this for a client in many ways, they’ll ask an off the wall question that distracts, point out something new in the room, or simply get up and pour a cup of coffee. And great coaches will also open the window and suggest a five-minute stroll.  

The benefits of breaking state, and giving our minds and bodies the opportunity to think and feel something new for a moment are vast. We think clearer, we calm our nervous system, we can act differently, more ‘human’ with others. Getting outside and giving yourself the gift to reset can have an enormous impact on relationships, collaboration, progress, outcomes.  

We say ‘experiment’. Next time you feel stuck, or notice you’re not reacting to others at your best, step outside, even if it’s for a few minutes. Break your state by taking a walk and noticing the things surrounding you. Give yourself the gift of the outdoors, to help you, and your team get better outcomes together.