How I Escape with Micro-Adventures

Winter is one of those seasons where people (especially in North America) love to get away and escape the cold. For those living further north winter can drag out and the temptation is often to hibernate through this season. So of course it’s no wonder that the idea of jumping on a plane to a warmer clime just three hours flight away and sitting on a tropical beach is pretty attractive. But inevitably there are times when one finds themselves in between trips or the budget just won’t stretch to squeeze in another holiday this year.

It’s times like these that I find it’s great to find a place to escape locally. Personally I take refuge in my neighbourhood park. I’m lucky enough to be living across the road from a large green space in Toronto called High Park. Most days I end up heading into the park and going for a walk, a run, a skate or even a ski.

Temporarily losing sight of the cityscape and being surrounded by trees and few other humans is a welcome respite that does wonders for my mood. There’s something about jogging through leaf-strewn trails with a head full of thoughts and a lung full of cold air that I find soothing.

My favourite mornings to hit the park are after a big snowfall, when the sun is out and the park sits under a blanket of snow. I’ve taken to heading out with my cross country skis and skating around in the fresh powder. It may be not waist deep and as secluded as back country skiing across a frozen lake in Alberta, but it’s peaceful and quiet and the minute I get out there among the trees, suddenly it seems as if all is right with the world!

These sorts of micro adventures are often overlooked in the fast paced world of high speed travel. I love that travel provides a joyous opportunity to explore new things, places and activities. But it’s interesting to consider that in the time it takes you to go and check-in for an international flight you could be hitting up a new provincial park, exploring a new location near within a few miles of where you live or getting into an outdoor adventure with some new friends without breaking the bank.

You don’t even need a lot of equipment or money to enjoy these microadventures. Just a pair of shoes and a few layers of clothing are enough to keep you warm while on a trot through the park. Or a second hand pair of ice skates (I paid $90 for a set of hockey skates from a local shop) or skis will get you going while you save up for the bigger trips.

And if you’re looking for a way to add more social connection to your life there are lots of free groups that connect people enjoying these activities. Find a local running group and get out for a free park run (parkrun.com is a group that hosts free timed runs all over the world and offer a great community for example). Or look up your local November Project chapter (link to https://november-project.com/). They host free workouts in parks around the world where you can go and exercise and share motivation with other interesting people. Or look up the times to go skating or play ice hockey in a nearby park. These activities are all free and can be a blast whether on your own or with friends.

Getting out on a micro adventure will likely give you a fresh perspective on an area that you live in and it will boost your mood with increased endorphins and serotonin (the chemicals in the brain that help us feel good). So don’t just sit around indoors waiting for it to get warmer outside, get out and enjoy the opportunity to have fun this week wherever you are. Every season has it’s beauty and I hope you take the opportunity to enjoy this one. :)