Meet our Ambassador: Nicola Dow
Nicola Dow is an outdoor enthusiast who wrote a book about hiking and plans outdoor retreats to help improve people’s mental health. Besides this, she is working as a model and travels all around the globe.
Q: When did your connection with nature start and was it always as strong as it has been in the last years?
When I was fourteen, I became seriously ill and was later diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. My doctors prescribed Prednisone and surgery to implant a stoma, meaning that I would have been dependent on medication and stuck with this terrible disease for the rest of my life.
Luckily, my mother and Mother Nature came to the rescue. My mom took me to a naturopathic therapist who advised me to completely change my life by embracing the wild way.
I am extremely lucky to have found ways to manage my Crohn’s disease through a combination of healthy food, connection with nature, and harnessing the positive effects that arise when the body and mind are in balance. I have been symptom-free for 23 years now.
Throughout my travels as a model, I always found myself craving and adventuring in nature. Tapping back on my natural roots was a consistent and reliable way to ground myself and reconnect with the things that were truly important.
This connection with nature is what drove me to write a book and start my own company, Wild Way. I approach everything in a playful way and can't wait to put my hiking boots on and start exploring with people who join my events.”
Q: You studied natural medicine, can you please tell us more about this and how you use this during your hikes and retreats?
Because of what I learned during my study and my own personal experiences, I believe nature is the greatest medicine and the antidote to reduce stress in our modern lives.
After feeling the healing power of nature first-hand I was motivated to show others the power of the wild.
During all my events, I incorporate the principles I learned during my studies. I believe hiking and outdoor adventures are the way to greater health and self-discovery. It’s where we form connections, and experience moments of wonder.
Time in Nature boosts our well-being and teaches us lessons that revise our view of city life. Plus, it’s so damn fun out there.”
Q: I can imagine nature has a lot of hidden treasures, which one are you most enthusiastic about? Anything we should keep in mind for our next walk in nature?
Fun and laughter unleash endorphins and dopamine for a natural immune system boost. That's nature's hidden treasure.
My advice is to keep an eye out for unusual plants and animals or simply be curious and pay attention to surroundings. You can also try using tools such as field guides or online sources to help identify and learn about different species. And my favorite, try to visit lesser-known or off-the-beaten-path locations, as these can sometimes offer a chance to discover unique and unusual aspects of the natural world.”
Q: With your organization, you are helping people to reset and reconnect themselves through nature. How does your work help people facing mental issues?
Time in nature is the greatest gift we’ve given ourselves. A gift that I have been called to share with you. With my company, Wild Way, we host unforgettable events and experiences in nature that everybody can join.
Designed to deepen the connection with ourselves and our planet, people get to join a community of positive people on a continual search for fun and experiences that make their hearts full.
Discovering the path of playfulness and personal growth, we give them a space to explore and be in the moment.
We create joyful experiences in nature, such as hikes that include foraging for nature's gifts and end up in a starlit dance event.
It's a fun journey to supercharge your personal growth. To overcome fear and prove you can do more than you think.
We offer challenges that allow people to tap into their primal power, strengthen their minds, and improve their self-confidence.
Nature gives us the power to put things in a new light. Get out there and find yourself!
Nature is the greatest healer and our most profound teacher. To rejuvenate, inspire, and cleanse. That’s why I do things the Wild Way.”
Q: You have been a Brixton ambassador for 2 years now, what does Done Proper mean to you?
Authenticity inspires me because it requires honesty, vulnerability, and a willingness to be open and genuine. When people are authentic, they are able to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with others because they are not hiding behind a facade. Done Proper to me means helping people to feel more confident, capable, and in control of their lives, which can be inspiring to those around them.”
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