CAPTURING NATURE'S
FIRST RESPONDER OWNED AND OPERATED
BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS
ABOUT 974
The idea behind 974 came from my mom who said I should find a way to share the pictures from adventures. The more I thought about it the more I liked that idea. After many hours were spent on everything that comes with trying to start a new business here we are - giving this a shot.
I thought about how I wanted to approach this and make it a reality the more I realized there was an important message that could be passed along with 974.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT
I went through a school shooting my senior year of high school that deeply affected myself, my family, and community. For many years after the shooting I neglected the side effects of living through that until it became clear that I could no longer do that.
When it became clear that I needed to face the aftermath of living and going through such a traumatic, life altering event I started to learn - about trauma, about going through trauma, about how to process trauma. I learned how important it truly is to take care of one's mental health.
Over the years I have found that going for walks in the outdoors is a key piece in taking care of my mental health. Being able to go into the wild has given me a healthy space to work through whatever is weighing on my mind. I have found there is not much that a long walk in the woods has not been able to solve. Spending time outdoor and in nature has turned into a habit for my over-all health wellness.
Now I work as a paramedic full time on an ambulance. I have been working in the first responder world for 10 years. Over that time I have seen the devastating consequences of not taking care of your mental health and what happens when someone loses the battle with themselves.
While the culture and stigmas surrounding mental health has changed over the years and it is headed in a positive direction there is still more work to do.
My hope with 974 is to not only be able to help bring nature and the outdoors in for the times when getting outside into nature is not possible but to also be able to spread the message that taking care of one's mental health is important.
