The next wellness movement?

Oct 29

Jeanine & Nina here,

A few months ago, we started thinking about preparedness as a cultural signal, an idea that came up while planning our trip to attend Camp DoomsDaddy

A two-day immersive preparedness camp built around practical skills for uncertain situations, the program is an introduction to emergency medicine, communications, fire, navigation & scenarios most of us hope to avoid but would definitely prefer to be prepared for.

WHAT’S THE CULTURAL SIGNAL?

And then we started to consider: What if preparedness is the next wellness movement?

For decades, wellness has meant optimizing for better sleep, better nutrition, better performance, better recovery. But as the world around us is becoming less predictable, aspiring to be more resilient will have more value than personal optimization.

In a recent conversation with WeekEnds about the future of outdoor culture, we talked about the current shift from outdoor as recreation to outdoor as capability. Could the next outdoor evolution have less to do with what we wear & more to do with what we can handle?

WHAT DID WE LEARN AT CAMP?

After attending Camp DoomsDaddy last weekend, some of our key assumptions changed.

We arrived thinking preparedness meant acquiring knowledge: learning the skills, assembling the kit, knowing what to do when things go wrong.

We left thinking the best plan is a plan to adapt.

The perfect packing list, the right go-bag & the most expensive tactical tools won't prepare you for the unexpected. Willingness to step into uncomfortable situations with curiosity will.

Truly listening to the experiences of people generously sharing what they know. Asking questions of experts like Outerlands Medics & Rescue. Trying something you've never done before. Making mistakes & learning from them (even in front of a group of strangers who are also figuring it out!).

WE DIDN’T EXPECT TO FIND ↓

In one word? Joy.

We practiced for hard, uncomfortable & sometimes genuinely scary situations. Throughout it all we laughed. We encouraged each other, shared what we knew, admitted what we didn't & watched strangers become teammates. It reminded us that resilience is remaining human when things get hard.

Preparedness might still be the next wellness movement, but becoming your best, most resilient self means finding joy, staying adaptable & relying on community.