LET’S GET OUTDOORS FOR MENTAL HEALTH | LOCAL TRAVEL

BY KIM BENNETT // MAY 10, 2025

Trail through Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Whidbey Island, WA | © 2025 Dennis Bennett. All Rights Reserved.

To be fully transparent, this was to be titled, Let’s Get Outdoors for Our Stupid Mental Health. Ultimately, I chose to leave out “our stupid,” recognizing this is just my third post here and likely many haven’t yet caught on to my sense of humor. More importantly, readers of Behind the Frame may not yet be familiar with social media content creator, producer, and mental health advocate, Andy Neal. Let me do a quick introduction. Andy hilariously and sarcastically often takes viewers along on his “stupid hike” to a “stupid beautiful lookout,” for his “stupid mental health.” I recently began following Andy as I too, take to the outdoors, usually local travel, sometimes begrudgingly, because it is the best way for me to care for my mental health. It’s never ceases to amaze me that no matter how off I’m feeling, if I seek out where I can see and hear water, after closing my eyes for even just a little while, I return refreshed.

Upper waterfall at Mt. Rainier | © 2025 Kim Bennett. All Rights Reserved.

This, along with less focus on raising children to more how my husband and I have begun to adjust to our soon-to-be empty nest, it seems I am ready to challenge my long-time anti-hiker persona. My husband and I have been together over thirteen years and during this time I have not gone on a real hike. My online dating profile, where we met, specifically stated, “I don’t hike.” There was no concealment of my feelings on the topic. He’s tried to trick me a couple of times, but me not owning hiking boots really has limited his opportunities. My belief has been you can enjoy the outdoors without trekking a long-ass trail to get somewhere to then turn around and go back. Now a bit older and having recognized the experience is more important than the destination, I have softened this harsh line.

My belief has been you can enjoy the outdoors without trekking a long-ass trail to get somewhere to then turn around and go back.

Still, why step back from this belief now? The main reason is, when I scroll Instagram and TikTok

admiring the photos and videos of beautiful vistas, wildflowers, and waterfalls, I need to be honest with myself – if I want to experience places like that too, especially with him, I will need to take a stupid hike to get there, and honestly, the more time we spend together out there, the more I am enjoying this life. This year I made a commitment to myself to take advantage of the time I have now; to experience places and things I’ve either put off because of my former career or wasn’t truly present for when I was there. Since making this commitment I’ve found myself remembering my true interests, my inner strength, and going about life at the pace that best supports me. This has been a significant contribution to strengthening my mental health and wellbeing.

…I need to be honest with myself – if I want to experience places like that too, especially with him, I will need to take a stupid hike to get there.

With May being recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, what better time to remind us all of what we can gain from spending even just five minutes outside of our homes and workspaces. In five minutes of feeling the breeze on our faces, the sounds of birds, the shapes of plants and nearby landscape, the scent of air that comes through our nose, and then slowly out our mouth, we are experiencing the present moment – not what’s in the past or going to be in the future. Just those five minutes. By caring for our mental health, we also gain biological benefits. Namely regulating our sympathetic nervous system which has direct impact on our blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart rate. We can better manage our emotions, such as irritability; hence taking a stupid hike for our stupid mental health – even if it’s two-and-half minutes one direction and back.

Image by Hiking Memes

For myself, the additional time I have committed to spending outdoors has reminded me of the pace that best supports me, which in turn has allowed me to better support those I love. I find myself breathing deeper, appreciating the time, putting down the luggage that is no longer mine to carry, and being inspired by what I’m experiencing. When I’m back indoors, I handle the unexpected with more ease, worry less about how much I accomplished in a day, and even look up easy hikes for beginners.

I find myself breathing deeper, appreciating the time, putting down the luggage that is no longer mine to carry, and being inspired by what I’m experiencing.

So, however best supports you getting outdoors, be it for five minutes standing outside your door, on a porch, or perhaps for a meandering-mostly-level three-mile stupid hike (roundtrip) in the Pacific Northwest, let’s get outdoors for our stupid mental health. Will you join me? What ways will you get outdoors?

Comment, like, and please feel free to join in on supporting Mental Health Awareness by sharing this post with others!

This post is not sponsored, and all recommendations are based on my personal experiences.

View Andy Neal's content on Instagram (@andyfilmsandhikes) and TikTok (@andyfilmsandhikes).

Additional Resources:

Mayo Clinic Press: The Mental Health Benefits of Nature: Spending Time Outdoors to Refresh Your Mind