I have two little girls, 5 and 7 years old, and they sure do inspire me. Lately, nearly every day they come home from school, the first thing they ask me is, “Mom, can we play outside?” That’s great, isn’t it?

Do you remember when you used to play outside for fun when you were a child? It’s funny how when we grow up, we forget to play sometimes. What did you used to do? Our daughters love riding their bikes, or going to the park to play soccer with their papa.

The other night, we took an early bath because the girls were dirty from playing outside, We already ate dinner, we were all ready for bed. But it was still 645 p.m., and usually the girls go to bed at 8 p.m.
So my husband suggested, “why don’t we go for a walk?”
“But isn’t it raining outside now?” My daughter asked.
“Yes, but we can still go for a walk!” My husband replied.
I must admit, I wasn’t all that excited about the idea.
But I was stumped in my writing, and I needed a bit of fresh air. So I grabbed my umbrella, and we went for a lovely short walk around the block, all together. Even though we got a little wet, we all felt so refreshed after that!

We all need those moments to stop and get away from everything.　私たちは皆、立ち止まってすべてから離れる瞬間が必要。

Sometimes we need that walk outside, or that game of soccer or baseball with our kids or our friends.

When you’re stuck, frustrated, or you’ve run out of ideas, why not get some fresh air? 行き詰まったとき、イライラしているとき、アイデアが出尽くしたとき、外に行ってみたらどう？

Please remember this phrase this week:

“Get some fresh air.”　直訳すると新鮮な空気を吸うという意味なんだけど
It actually means taking a break or escape from a confined or stressful situation. 実際には、複雑な状況やストレスの多い場面から出るや休憩をとるという意味です。

We say that a lot in English.

It doesn’t just mean “the air is clean,” although I do think Hokkaido air is very clean and refreshing~! This phrase also means, “let’s take a break.” “I need to step outside for some fresh air” means “I need to take a break.”

Some people might also suggest that for you:

“Going for a walk will do you good; you need some fresh air.”

Going out will help you relax, give you a fresh perspective, and even reset your mind.

It’s summer, we have more chances to get out there and have some fun!

Have you ever stopped yourself from a chance to play outside?
In the winter I hear “It’s too cold to go outside!”
And now in the summer, I hear “It’s too hot to go outside!”

Or we might even say “I’m too busy to go outside and play”

I caught myself driving more often than walking because I felt too busy in every day!

“Time is money” is what some people like to say.

But what can we do with money if we’re unhealthy, right?

So I had to make conscious decisions like, “I’m going to walk instead of drive today,”

Or “I’m going to plant some flowers in my garden,”

Or “I’m going to read a book at the park instead of on my sofa,”

Have a picnic or play some sports~

How often do you go out for a walk, or play outside? It’s not just something for kids to do, you know!

I think that’s why camping in Hokkaido is so popular, because it gets you away from busy life and into nature and fresh air.

Going outside has many benefits! Here’s 4 I can think of.

1. Get some sun! Because you get vitamin D from the sun, which is essential for brain function and mood regulation. Low levels of vitamin D are linked to depression and other mood disorders.
2. Exposure to sunlight helps you sleep better! Your body rhythm is influenced by the natural sunlight of each day, even on cloudy days, it’s good to go outside and get some natural light!
3. Walking, running or any outdoor sports are great for physical health, and the more physically healthy you are, the more mentally healthy you are!
4. Being outside, you can be around nature more, which lowers stress levels!

Wow, that’s a lot of positive results from just going outside, don’t you think?

Say goodbye to anxiety!

So! というわけで！

For the song for this week…

Tomorrow is the third Monday in July, and that means it’s Marine Day here in Japan! It’s a public holiday to give thanks for the ocean harvest, especially since Japan is surrounded by ocean! My family like to think of it as beach day, and we often go to the beach. In honor of Marine Day, I chose the song “Take me to the ocean,” by alternative-reggae American band, The Movement.

How about you, Why not take this holiday as a chance to go out? If it’s too hot, why not leave earlier in the morning, or later in the evening, avoid the hot middle hours of the day? Or find some shade wherever you’re going. Maybe even get yourself an iced coffee. Whatever it takes to get you outside of your house, make it happen! Because the benefits for your health are totally worth it.

“Oh, how sweet the light of day, And how wonderful to live in the sunshine! Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour” those are words from Ecclesiastes 11:7-8.

ああ、日の光はなんて素敵だろう、太陽の光の中で生きることはなんて素晴らしいのだろう！たとえ長生きしても、一日一日を当たり前だと思わないで。光に満ちた１分でも１時間でも、喜びましょう」伝道者の書11:7-8