Life lessons gained from camping in the woods

Whether you are a nature lover who relishes the chance to pitch up in the great outdoors, or you despise the idea of sleeping in a bag under a flimsy piece of fabric – camping has a lot to teach us.

Some of the daily trials and tribulations of outdoor living can be applied to everyday life and help us overcome challenges. The following life lessons apply to all of us – camping enthusiast or not…

No man is an island

You will never get to know someone better than when they’re helping you remove a tick from your inner thigh. In the woods there are plenty of odd and embarrassing issues that occur, and it can be amazing to see how people pull together and support each other.

Often, in our regular lives, it is our vulnerability that truly allows relationships to grow. Even if you ‘camp alone’ you are bound to come into contact with some form of life; mosquitos, flies – and in some countries, bears. Realising that there is no magic bubble between you and the rest of the world should help you open up to others.

You have to be comfortable with yourself

When you are camping it is highly likely that you will have to go to the toilet in the woods. You are also likely to smell pretty potent by the end of the trip. And this is all OK. Going camping forces you to get to know yourself more intimately than ever before, so grab a real or metaphorical trowel, get stuck in and get comfortable with who you are – flaws and all.

Problems without solutions are just facts

Sometimes it can be hard to accept that certain things in life don’t have solutions. When you’re camping and you get caught in the rain – there isn’t much you can do. Your being wet is a fact, not a problem. The key is to accept these unsolvable issues for what they are, safe in the knowledge that eventually you will dry out and all will be well.

Playing is key

When you are camping there is no TV, no laptop, no entertainment. So you have to make your own. Play games, go swimming, pick wild berries – create your own fun and take life by the horns.

Pack light

When you pack for a camping trip, you don’t really want a load of heavy baggage weighing you down. Instead you strip down to your essentials and pack light. Emotional baggage can weigh us down in life, so try to ‘pack light’ and realise that all those things you think are essential, probably aren’t.

If you want to gain more practical insights on life, why not speak to a life coach? For more information on how a life coach could help, please see our Life Coaching Areas page.

View and comment on the original Greatist article.