Be Present, Build the Future: The Brain Chemistry of Finding Yourself Outdoors.

If you daydream about fishing all week—go fishing. And when you’re there? Quit dragging your stress, your to-do list, and your worries into the boat with you. Be where your boots are. Be in the moment. Because being present isn’t fluffy self-help. It’s a real, measurable shift in your nervous system and your brain chemistry.

You can live for the future without living in the future and on the flip side of the coin: you can remember without dredging. That’s the trap: we call it “planning or reminiscing” but sometimes it’s just mental time-travel. We’re so busy rehearsing life that we miss the only place life actually happens

—the right here, Right NOW!

Here’s the balance:

• Future-focused means you set goals, make plans, and build a life you’re proud of.

• Present-focused means when you’re doing the thing you said you wanted… you actually feel it.

You can do it all. Plan the trip. Save the money. Block the time. But when the sun hits the water and the line goes tight—your brain doesn’t care about next month’s problems. Your brain cares about the now.

Ever notice how the outside world pulls you out of your head? The wind, the water, the smell of pine, the rhythm of casting, the sound of shoes on dirt—it gives your brain something real to lock onto. And when you move your body (hiking, running, paddling, hauling gear, even walking the shoreline), your brain releases a mix of chemicals that can shift your mood, reduce pain, and quiet anxiety.

Let’s talk about what’s actually happening upstairs. Most people grew up hearing one word: endorphins. Endorphins matter—but the story is bigger. A lot of modern research points to endocannabinoids as a major driver of that natural “high” feeling.

1) Endocannabinoids (especially anandamide)

Your body makes its own natural cannabinoids (yep, you’ve got a built-in system for this). One of the best-known is anandamide, sometimes called the “bliss molecule.”

Why it matters:

• Linked to reduced anxiety

• Supports pain relief

• Associated with that calm, floaty, everything’s-okay feeling after steady cardio

A key point researchers highlight: endocannabinoids can cross the blood–brain barrier more easily than endorphins, which is one reason they’re considered strong candidates for explaining runner’s high.

2) Endorphins

Endorphins are your body’s natural painkillers—your internal “keep going” system.

They’re associated with:

• Pain reduction

• Pleasure and reward

• That “I can do hard things” feeling

Even if they’re not the only explanation for runner’s high, they’re still part of the overall cocktail that makes movement feel good for everybody!

3) Dopamine

Dopamine is the motivation/reward chemical.

It’s what your brain uses to say:

• “That mattered.”

• “Do that again.”

• “This is your thing.”

When you find an activity that feels like home—fishing, hiking, archery, riding—dopamine helps wire that into your identity.

That moment outdoors when everything clicks? That’s not just a vibe.

It’s your brain and body syncing up.

When you’re present, you get:

• A clear task (walk, cast, climb, breathe, set up camp)

• Immediate feedback (weather, terrain, water, skill)

• A sense of progress (you get better, stronger, calmer)

• A reset (your nervous system finally gets a break)

And here’s the part people don’t say out loud enough: When you’re present, you don’t just “do an activity.” You reconnect with yourself.

If you’ve been daydreaming about getting outside, here’s your no-BS assignment:

1. Pick one thing you’ve been thinking about doing (fishing, hiking, range day, kayaking—whatever).

2. Schedule it like it matters—because it does.

3. When you’re there, do one thing at a time.

   • Feel the air.

   • Notice the sound.

   • Watch the water and sky.

   • Pay attention to your hands.

4. If your brain tries to time-travel, try to simply say: “Not right now, and then force your mind to be present”

Runner’s high isn’t just about running—it’s that moment your brain and body sync up and everything feels lighter, calmer, and more possible, because the “good chemistry” kicks in and the stress noise finally shuts up. You can get it from a steady run, a hard hike, rucking, cycling, swimming, paddling, lifting with rhythm, yoga that locks in your breath, or even a long walk where your thoughts just stop. It shows up at sunrise or sunset, on the water while fishing when time disappears, in the middle of a climb when your pace becomes automatic, or when you’re moving with people who get you and effort turns into fuel. We don’t quit. We adapt. We overcome.

Dreaming is good. Planning is smart. But if you keep living in your head, the future or the past, you’ll miss the life you said you wanted. So, if you daydream about fishing—go fishing or even run that trail to find a new spot! And when you’re out there, be present. Because sometimes the future, you’re chasing… starts the instant you finally show up in the moment.

Fun reads: Johns Hopkins Medicine: The Truth Behind “Runner’s High” and other mental benefits of running https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-truth-behind-runners-high-and-other-mental-benefits-of-running

PubMed Central review: Do Endocannabinoids Cause the Runner’s High?

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10159215/