It's Time To Go Fishing

The day to day struggle of "Wake up, drive to work, work 8 hours, drive home, eat dinner, go to sleep" can be grueling. The constant repetitiveness we all go through just to make sure bills are paid, food is on the table and kids are playing sports. At the end of the day you may have just a couple hours to get your brain calmed down before going to bed to start all over again tomorrow.

Well, I am here to tell you, this cycle SUCKS! Our mental health is important. Our brain is our best feature and it is hard to take care of it when we are stuck on autopilot constantly. It's Friday, time to play hooky and find Zen in the waves of the water, it's much cheaper than a therapist, trust me!

Picture this, you have your fishing pole in hand, tackle box at your feet. You cast your line and found just the right spot to wait out the fish. It's a beautiful sunny day with a nice breeze, just enough to keep you cool and the waves of the lake soft and gentle. All you can hear is a few birds chirping and the lapping water. How does this sound so far? Pretty nice, huh? Now picture, your line is bobbing, it's the moment you have waited for. Your first fish of the day is biting and it's time for you to take charge. You pick up your pole and start reeling in your fish, but be careful you don't want it to get away! You're almost there and you have got him!

All of the focus you just put into reeling in this fish has already helped your mental state of stress. By clearing your mind for the fun task at hand you were not only able to reduce stress and anxiety, but have fun and enjoy yourself. You breathed in fresh air and had patience while waiting to catch the fish and that is a form of meditation that I bet you didn't know you were using. Studies have shown methods used in fishing reduce cortisol levels which is also known as the "stress hormone". Going fishing can be good for many that struggle with depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD and more.

And if you're feeling lonely, take a buddy. Not only can you destress together, you can share stories and advice while waiting for the fish to bite. But, once they're biting you get to share in school girl excitement and joy when each other catches their prize. Don't forget, fishing is not just for the guys, it can always be a great date option for you and the missus too.

GRAB YOUR POLES AND GET TO FISHING!