A Return to Yorkshire
Last week I was lucky enough to return to stunning Yorkshire. Some friends of ours had rented a holiday cottage in the Yorkshire Dales and invited us to join them for a few days. Well, considering I had completely fallen in love with this part of the world only a few weeks ago it was impossible to resist! We spent three days walking, eating, hot-tubbing and chatting and like last time, I felt like I had barely scratched the surface of this incredibly beautiful place.
Each time I have been blown away by the sheer scale of the Dales and the Moors National Park. I have always considered the UK to be a modest-sized country (Australia is 32x bigger but with 1/3 of the population!) so I find it mind-boggling that so much green space can exist. The hills, mountains and paddocks reach as far as the eye can see. It feels so utterly remote and yet the entire landscape is dotted with small villages made up of incredibly friendly people (and plenty of tearooms!) It is the perfect place to socially distance and feel completely at one with the nature around you.
It’s strange how certain places in the world can really reach out and speak to you and for me, Yorkshire is one of those places. I feel my entire body relaxing as soon as I am out walking those dales and I find myself daydreaming about what it would be like to live there (if only it didn’t get so cold and wet!) It’s a place that I would definitely visit again and again (something that I rarely do) partly because of how relaxed it makes me feel but also because I believe I have only seen a fraction of what it has to offer.
My friends Ruth and Ian feel the same way and I think this is why we enjoyed our time together so much. They are a happy couple in their 40’s without the burden of kids; both work the 9-5 in jobs that they enjoy and each year they like to book a summer holiday abroad. They have spent years lazing by the pool at all-inclusive resorts, lapping up the European sun. Every time they return from their trip away they look golden and happy. Last year, however, they decided to ‘staycation’ instead. There were many places in the UK that they hadn’t visited and so they decided to give Yorkshire a go. Why not, hey? Well, they fell completely and utterly in love. It helps that they have been blessed with glorious sunshine every time they have visited (which is just as well, as petite Ruth feels the cold). They have since returned to Yorkshire twice more (we joined them for their second trip this year) and have already booked accommodation for next year!
Falling in love with a place is nothing new and I’ve often thought about what the concept of ‘home’ really means. They say home is where the heart is and I subscribe to the idea that where you’re born isn’t necessarily where you’re meant to be. I do believe that we are drawn to places that offer us opportunities to be our best self; to pursue a vocation that we’re truly passionate about, perhaps to meet the love of our life or make lifelong friends and feel a sense of belonging. But I also think that there are places we are drawn to on a much deeper level and we can’t explain why. All we know is that when we are there we feel right; Our stresses and anxieties melt away. Perhaps we are responding to an ancient language that is part of the land. Is it possible to communicate with a place? I believe it is.
The Power of Nature
Before we went to Yorkshire I was speaking to Ian about why they loved it so much. He told me that it’s the only holiday they have been on where they feel as if they can completely switch off and not think about work. I must say, at the time this surprised me as I thought perhaps lying by a pool in Greece would also have this effect! But having now visited, I do understand what they mean as I experienced the same feeling. This led me to do a little research on why being out in nature can make us feel this way. We all know that walking is incredibly good for our physical health and mental well-being but can this feeling be increased when we are surrounded by natural beauty rather than an urban metropolis? It turns out that it can. Studies have shown that being in nature decreases stress, makes us happier, increases creativity, makes us feel more alive and encourages us to be more kind and generous (which explains why Yorkshire folk are so friendly and helpful!)
When coupled with walking, you are experiencing optimal levels of happiness as walking has been proven to improve mood, boost energy and your immune system as well as the obvious benefits of strengthening your heart, lowering your blood sugar and burning calories. This isn’t surprising as human beings are designed to walk. But in the modern world, we often have no reason to, as many of us get into cars and sit at a desk all day. In fact, when my husband Nick got diagnosed last year with a herniated disc in his back, the physiotherapist told him that it was highly likely it happened because he had been sitting down so much. The years of acting on stage have kept Nick physically fit but last year he spent most of his time editing videos and was therefore very stationary. Turns out this really isn’t good for the body! Walking eases joint pain and can even prevent arthritis. and while Nick often has trouble bending down or doing high impact exercise, he always says that walking eases his pain.
What makes us happy?
The strange uncertainty of 2020 has given me space to really question many things and what has become abundantly clear is that everything we need to be happy is all around us and we simply have to have the courage to reach for it. In the case of Ruth and Ian, they have found a spot in the world that is utterly magical to them. They told us that they now have no desire to go anywhere else and I believe them. In fact, they are even talking about the possibility of buying a holiday home or even moving there and why shouldn’t they? Part of me envies their ability to completely fall in love with a place so much that they don’t need to go anywhere else. Because whilst I too adore Yorkshire, I also know that as soon as it’s safe to do so I will be back on a plane visiting European cities or trekking the Inca trail or searching for the Northern lights. Because that’s just the way I am. I have always loved travelling to new places and I don’t think that will change. But I must say, I have been so thankful for this time when I have been forced to explore what is on my doorstep. It has inspired me to make time for regular walks in my natural surroundings because as the research suggests, connecting with nature isn’t a luxury but a necessity.
When we said goodbye to Ruth and Ian on our final day, they were preparing for their next little outing. The sun was shining and since we’d all tired our bodies out on a three-hour walk that morning, they had decided to take a picnic, their folding chairs and a book and spend the afternoon lazing by the lake. And this sums them up so perfectly; a couple who have found their oasis. A trip to Yorkshire, relaxing by the lake, walking through the countryside and spending time with friends. What could be better?
Yet so many of us fail to appreciate these simple pleasures. Our lives become all-consuming and habitual and we get stuck on the hamster wheel. The job that we may have loved at twenty is no longer pushing our buttons at forty but by then we have a mortgage to pay and kids to support and friends that we’ve made and family who are growing old and we feel trapped. This is something that I see far too often, although I have been fortunate enough not to have experienced it first-hand. The choices I made to pursue a life on the stage has had it’s own challenges but one thing it has taught me well is to embrace change and uncertainty and accept opportunities as they arise. In recent years my career has moved from performing to teaching; a decision that started off as a necessity but has now become a passion.
And I guess that’s the mantra I live by; find your passion and let that be your guide. It’s also ok if your passion changes throughout your life because as human beings we are constantly evolving. If you find a place in the world that speaks to you, don’t be afraid to make that move and start a different life. Yes, there will be compromises and challenges along the way but if you open your mind and your heart you can find true contentment. Perhaps everyone has ‘a Yorkshire’ but maybe they just haven’t discovered it yet. Perhaps you have been too busy working or making plans or booking that all-inclusive holiday to Spain and you have failed to see that if you just stepped outside and took a moment to breathe in the nature that is all around, you could find the inner quiet and clarity that you’ve been striving for.
And surely now is the ideal time to explore what is on our doorstep, right? To break old habits and to make plans a little closer to home. Who knows? Like Ruth and Ian you just might find your own little slice of heaven that inspires you to make a change and live the life you were born to live. Or maybe the time away will actually allow you to realise that you are already walking the path that is right for you, and in fact, you are exactly where you need to be. But if you don’t take that leap, you may never know. Happiness may be fleeting but true contentment is possible. Some people like myself cross oceans to find it; others simply take a trip to Yorkshire. 😀
If you would like more information on this subject I can highly recommend the Deliciously Ella Podcast Episode: Eco-Anxiety and The Healing Power of Nature. It looks at the scientific link between nature and our physical and mental wellbeing.
If you would like to share your thoughts on this subject, I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below or SUBSCRIBE via email so you never miss a blog post or delicious recipe again!