September weather transformed my closet into a weird place where none of my clothes made sense. No matter how many times I looked at the forecast, I always seemed to be dressed wrong.

Optimistically hoping for cooler weather, I tried wearing jeans and a jacket, only to be sweating in the afternoon. None of the other combinations I tried worked. This past week, however, something wonderful happened — I was comfortable no matter what clothing I wore.

The weather has finally reached the perfect stage of early fall. Leaves aren’t falling from the trees yet, but there’s a definite chill in the morning air. When I go from inside to outside, I hardly notice a difference in temperature. It’s been so lovely out that it seems like a shame to spend the majority of my days inside.

These are the last few weeks before it gets terminally colder outside. This time of year is made for spending days at the park or walking the dog. The more time you can spend outside, the better. Throughout your increased outdoor activity, I encourage you not to bring your phone.

I know it seems scary at first. For many of us, our phones have become security blankets we hide under to avoid awkward conversations and any form of human interaction. I can say whole-heartedly that my experiences are richer when I leave my phone at home.

Let’s take walking my dog for instance. When I bring my phone with me, it is easy to get distracted. I get caught up in the music pulsing through my headphones, or scrolling through my Twitter feed. Leaving my phone at home compels me to be immersed in my surroundings. It allows me to hear the deep bark my dog directs at a jogger and gives me the ability to start a conversation with a fellow dog walker.

So lay in a hammock. Have a picnic. Venture to a small town you’ve never been to before, but leave your phone at home. All of these things are infinitely more beautiful when you let yourself soak up what’s happening in front of you, instead of checking your Twitter to see if anyone ‘favorited’ your last post. You won’t regret it — just unplug and go outside.