'I love the person I am when I'm in nature.'
Trail runner and mindfulness coach Josh Lynott on being his best self in the wilderness.
Australian-born author, photographer, endurance athlete and mindfulness coach Josh Lynott has been dedicated to finding a connection between himself and the rest of the world through his triple threat of photography, writing and running. His positive and adventurous spirit has led him on a global quest to discover what it means to truly connect, to impart all that is positive in his life unto the life of others. Josh came to our attention through The Sessions, where his poetic writing and photography lives. On top of that, he's the founder of What A Sesh, which combines mindfulness and running to a global community to help them be the best humans they can be. He couldn't sound more like our kind of guy, so we thought we'd send him out to a cabin and see what he made of the experience.
You're someone who spends a lot of time in nature; why have you made it such a priority for yourself? The list is endless. Nature is forever providing gifts to me in the form of knowledge, calmness, adventure, and connection. I have formed some of my best friendships in nature whilst hiking, running, and exploring. Being in the wild allows me (and most of us) to be present. The longer I spend in nature, the deeper connection I form with the world around me. Being in nature is a priority because it allows me to be the best version of myself. It's also where I form by best ideas and draw a lot of creative inspiration - particularly for my writing. I could go on and on. To summarise, I love the person I am when I'm in nature.
You're big on mindfulness. What role do you think nature plays in that? Throughout my work in the mindfulness space, I often encourage people to spend more time in nature. Particularly for people who work in stressful environments, nature helps return us to homeostasis. The more time we spend in nature, the better we become. However, for some people, it may be as simple as standing barefoot on the grass or the beach for five minutes. Without knowing, being in nature rearranges our atoms. Meditation can be tricky, whereas going for a walk is something most of us can do easily. Nature is often the best teacher, so at times I feel it is my role to be the person who encourages others to get out more. In much of my work, I talk about the notion of "going slow" and work with people to unpack 'the cost of being busy'. Nature regulates us and moves slowly. All around, when we look at forests, mountains, reefs... anything - it's clear that these beautiful arrangements and features of the world took a long time to form. We are no different; anything great takes time.
What would you say to someone who doesn't prioritise time in the outdoors? Try adding five minutes a day! If we work 9-5 pm (480 minutes), 1% of the day equates to 4.8minutes. Simply spending 5 minutes more in nature is a great start. My next suggestion would be to try and get out for a day on the weekends or days off! Take a friend, pack some snacks, turn your phone off and go wild for a while.
When you're trail running, what's your accommodation usually like? It varies from time to time. Sometimes, I'll hire a van to park close to the trailhead. Other times, I'll get base with some friends. We usually ensure a good shower and a place to leave muddy shoes. As long as I have good company on the trails, I don't really mind where I stay.
Being in nature is a priority because it allows me to be the best version of myself.
How'd the cabin compare? Instantly, walking down to Vera made us feel like we were on a trail. As we cruised down the 650m track to Vera, we thought, "this would be fun to do hill reps on!" Staying at the cabin made us even more excited about the trails. Being surrounded by rolling hills and dirt paths, made us curious. And that's just before we even put our running shoes on! Coming back to the cabin after a run is super zen. Feet up on the deck, Moka pot on the stove brewing, and tunes going - it soothes the soul. We both commented how we could stare out the shower window for hours too...
How was your overall experience? What did you love? What surprised you? What did you cook? We loved the details! You guys didn't leave any stone unturned. The notebook prompts/checklist, and the stamp were my favourite details. Having a coffee grinder and delicious beans to brew our coffee each day was a lot of fun. It slowed down the process of making coffee and, in turn, made the experience more mindful. I loved how the entire experience gently asks you to slow down.
I was also surprised by the 'isolation' of Vera. Passing through a few gates and then the walk down to the cabin. I didn't think it would be possible to find a cabin in such a place. I loved the location! We made soup, pasta, and Mexican bowls! Delicious and nourishing.
How long did it take you to unwind? 650 metres. As soon we got to the bottom gate of Vera. The boys were settled. Relaxed and present. Vera was our home for two nights and we couldn't have been happier.
When will you be back? ;) ASAP. I'm hoping for February!?