Forest Therapy

Packing your bags and moving to the mountains isn’t a decision most people take lightly. The hustle and bustle of city life suits many; the thousands of potential new friends, the convenience of everything you need around you, and the wide variety of work opportunities. There comes a time when many people try to imagine what it would be like to live a slower life. Perhaps a little chalet in the mountains with a large garden and a tight-knit community. While you're in the mountains, take a moment to try out forest bathing. Forest bathing is when you take a mindful walk through a forested area, taking deep breaths to experience the benefits of the plants around you. While it certainly comes with its challenges, moving to the mountains offers a lot of benefits to your overall well-being.

Clean, Fresh Air

Living in the mountains means you are far removed from industrial areas that are polluting the air. There’s no rush hour and no large factories. When you live at a higher altitude, you are living above the layer of smog above larger cities. Living in a mountain town allows you to breathe in clean, fresh air. This isn't found in most other places these days.

Stunning Landscapes

Whether you are living in a moderately sized mountain town or out on your own in a small cabin, you are surrounded by vast expanses of untouched nature. The landscapes are stunning and offer incredible views of mountains, valleys, lakes, and a variety of wildlife. You won’t feel as though you need to get away from the city and take yourself on vacation, you’ll already be living one!

A Slower Pace of Life

Although you may not have everything you need a stone’s throw away, you’ll likely learn to appreciate the slower pace of life. Instead of rushing to the corner store all the time, you’ll have to plan ahead and make a trip once a week. When you don’t have a grocery store down the street, you’ll learn how to grow and preserve your own food. Instead of getting takeout three times a week, you’ll spend more time cooking. Slowing down can make you appreciate the simple things in life, and you may pick up a few hobbies you never knew you’d enjoy.

More Positivity

Slowing down can do wonders for promoting positive feelings. Many people who live in cities feel the need to unwind after a long, stressful week, and often spend their weekends escaping to nature. When you live in the mountains, all you need to do is take a step outside your front door to feel at peace. Many studies have looked at the concept of forest bathing, and how taking a mindful stroll through a forested area can do wonders for wellness. Removing yourself from the fast-paced lifestyle of the city can keep overwhelming feelings away. 

Tighter-Knit Communities

When you live in a city, you are surrounded by thousands of other people. This may seem like an easy way to connect with others and make new friends. However, so many people are focused on their own lives and rarely make time to connect with strangers. When you live in the mountains, your neighbors become your family. You learn to rely on each other for help, especially when you’re all snowed in together. Instead of going to the next town for sugar, you’ll knock on your neighbor's door. If you’re busy and need someone to look after your children for the afternoon, your neighbors will step in to help.

A More Active Lifestyle

Living in the mountains offers unlimited opportunities to get outdoors and stay active. Summer offers the opportunity to go hiking, swimming, and mountain biking. In the winter, you can go skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing! Many city-dwellers pay a monthly fee to have a gym membership. When you live in the mountains, you have unlimited space to exercise for free. You also get the added bonus of the benefits of being in nature.

Final Thoughts

Living in the mountains may be a drastic change from city life, but it comes with a lot of benefits. Whether you’re looking for a slower pace of life, a more active lifestyle, better human connections or simply less negative feelings, the mountains offer all of this and more. If you’re not ready to make the leap, using essential oils can mimic the peace and relaxation of mountain air. 

Photo credits: bedya/shutterstock.com, ChaseClausen/shutterstock.com, MonkeyBusinessImages/shutterstock.com, GalynaAndrushko/shutterstock.com

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