Passport to Texas

Kids getting happy learning about nature.

Happiness is Spending Time in Nature Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

We hope 2017 will be the happiest year yet. Nancy Herron, Outreach & Education Director at Parks and Wildlife says resolving to be happier is as easy as spending more time outdoors.

Allowing yourself a little playtime outside does so many great things for you. If you put it on your calendar that once a week I’m going to do something fun for myself and it might be laying out in the grass and looking up and listening to birds, or maybe it’s riding a bike again, or trying another kind of fishing or something like that. You just feel better about yourself; you actually do feel more confident when you’ve been able to be out.

Nancy is outdoors regularly as you might imagine; she told me about coming across a sprawling live oak tree while on a walk in the woods with her granddaughter.

It was the best climbing tree ever. And my little monkey granddaughter just ran right up…and yes…I couldn’t resist, and I climbed up, too. It was so much fun. I felt pretty good about myself – I could actually do it at my age.

How spending time outdoors can make us healthier …that’s tomorrow.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation supports our series and helps keep Texas wild with support of proud members across the state. Find out more at tpwf.org

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Getting healthier, happier and smarter by spending time outdoors.

Getting Healthier, Happier and Smarter in 2017 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Adults and children can achieve a better quality of life by committing to spending time in the wide open spaces…or the forested spaces…or watery spaces…or…any outdoor space. Even their own backyards.

Outreach & Education Director, Nancy Herron, shares some thoughts on how individuals and families can make 2017 the healthiest…happiest…and smartest year yet by spending time outside.

When you spend time outdoors you can be healthier, happier and smarter. What do we mean by that? Well, actually there is a lot of research that’s out there that shows that people of all ages actually do have benefits from being outside in nature, and that does include improvements to your health, your stress level, your sense of self esteem and confidence. Even being more cooperative. Can you believe that? Communities are more cooperative; families bond better in the out of doors. These are interesting things that we now know that we took for granted, and we just didn’t realize. That there’s a whole bevy of benefits from being outdoors.

Nancy Herron returns with resolutions to get you outdoors and help to make you and yours healthier… happier…and smarter.

That’s our show for today… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.