10 Tips For Living The Jungle Life (Wherever Your Are)
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Happy holidays from the jungle! As 2020 draws to a close (phew, what a bizarre year) we're focusing on gratitude and natural living. Simple things we're grateful for right now? Healing tropical air, nourishing fresh food, family, siestas and fiestas (socially distanced!) with amigos.
We understand that travel is risky right now for many of you. We're sending jungle health your way from afar. If you're feeling stuck at home, check out these fun tips for living the jungle life wherever you are! Jungle bliss is within reach…or at least close to it.
Here at the Tailwind Jungle Lodge our motto is “love life.” Whether we’re working or playing, we do our best to be in the moment enjoying life. We want to share this philosophy—we’re eager to share our jungle lifestyle with you.
10 Tips For Living The Jungle Life:
1) Hang a hammock. Wherever you are, this is essential. Find a hammock style you like. Next, pick your spot. Two trees or two walls in your house are great options. Don’t have a place that will work? Look into getting a chair hammock that you can easily hang from a beam in your ceiling or from an overhanging tree branch. Here in the jungle we prioritize hammock daily. Wherever you are, we recommend that you do the same. Head to the hammock and read your favorite magazine, take a siesta or just gaze up at the sky.
2) Daydream. Dreams have no geographic limitations. Though you may be stuck at home, your thoughts are free to run wild. The Tailwind Jungle Lodge began as a daydream that was sparked by gazing into campfires on our family adventures. We are masters of letting our to-do lists blow away, getting our heads in the clouds and letting the wild ideas flow. What’s your wild idea?
3) Nourish your body with whole foods. The jungle family loves to eat :). The majority of our plates are filled with fresh fruits and veggies from the local farmer’s market, seafood caught daily, and coconut water straight from the coconut. Food here doesn’t come in a package, nor has it been processed. We fill our fridge and tummies with fresh whole foods. Check out your farmer’s market for the best fresh, local, organic foods—quality nutrition is key for achieving jungle bliss.
4) Create a “no stresspassing zone”. Feeling stressed? You’ve probably heard of the value of adding a regular meditation into your life. Meditation can be a great way to clear and calm the mind. But have you actually done this? Who has the time to sit for an extended meditation? For most of us, meditation falls to the bottom of the priority list. Here in the jungle, the natural jungle setting is a perfect place for meditation. However, if the wild jungle isn’t available to you, we recommend creating a “no stresspassing zone” where you can intentionally leave your stresses at the door. Your no stresspassing zone could be a hammock, a comfy chair, a mountain top, or even a bench at your local park. Pick a spot and declare it your no stresspassing zone. Visit this place regularly.
5) Make time for playtime & fitness. At the Tailwind Jungle Lodge we’re playtime professionals. We love to frolic in the waves and challenge our bodies with a range of motion. Though we’re passionate about stand up paddle boarding, we also love to kayak, hike, do yoga and more. The body thrives on diversity! How can you get outside, move your body and play? Regardless of your geographic location, make playtime and balanced fitness a priority.
6) Everything in moderation (including moderation!). Yes, occasionally we have fiestas in the jungle and yes, the margaritas are definitely flowing! As Jungle Judi likes to say, “sacredness in revelry”. In order to live a healthy jungle life, we embrace a philosophy of moderation in all things. BUT we also believe that you absolutely must treat yourself occasionally. Go ahead, treat yourself, you deserve it.
7) Embrace the “mañana” mantra. We’ve had to learn this lesson repeatedly. The Mexican culture embodies the mantra “no hurries and no worries.” When a local tells you that they’ll get to it “mañana” this could mean later, it could mean tomorrow, it could also mean next year! Our first reaction? Extreme irritation, frustration and bewilderment. After a few years, we finally surrendered to the Mexcian flow. Instead of fighting it, we embraced this slower, more laid-back approach to life. Guess what? We now love it! We know that things will get done—eventually—and in the process, life is good. In the Mexican culture family, playtime and lifestyle are much higher on the priority list than work. Read more about my transformative journey in the Mexican culture in Wildpreneurs Chapter 6—Simplification & Adaptation: Is It Mañana Yet?
Wherever you call home, test out the mañana theory. Don’t be afraid to hit the big PAUSE button on life occasionally and slow things down. Focus on family, friends and playtime. No hurries and no worries! The work will get done . . . eventually :).
8) Practice yoga. We believe in the healing powers of yoga for both mind and body. Even just a few sun salutations or a child’s pose can reset a day and/or mindset. Wherever you are, incorporating yoga into your life on a regular basis is a must.
9) Be nice to the natural world. The Tailwind Jungle Lodge does its best to minimize impact and respect the natural world. We love our jungle home! We conserve water and energy, use local, renewable materials and try to live in harmony with the natural cycles of the jungle. What can you do to take care of the natural world where you live?
10) Remember that money isn’t everything. Happiness shouldn’t be determined by the state of a bank account. We’re not making millions here in the jungle and that’s okay! We’ve discovered richness way beyond dollars and cents.
BONUS: Breathe. Don’t forget to obvious but crucial step! In this crazy world, it’s easy to become so busy that we forget to breathe. When life starts to spiral out of control we remind ourselves to stop and do a quick “60 second meditation”. It’s simple: sit down, close your eyes and take three long, deep breaths. This is a chance to clear your mind and reconnect with your body. Take this 60 second meditation with you wherever you go and do it regularly.
Follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your on your way to living the jungle life. When you’re up for a visit to the real jungle we’ll be waiting for you at the Tailwind Jungle Lodge.
Curious to know how we created the Tailwind Jungle Lodge?
Read our family business adventure story in Wildpreneurs.
