I like to be grounded by nature, go hiking... go to an isolated

Cote de Pablo, the actress known for her strength on screen, once revealed a truth that belongs not only to artists but to all humankind: “I like to be grounded by nature, go hiking… go to an isolated island that’s not glamorous and touristy at all.” These words, though simple, carry the weight of ancient wisdom. For she speaks of the soul’s longing to return to nature, to be stripped of vanity, and to be grounded in what is real, eternal, and pure. In a world that clamors for glamour, her desire is for simplicity; in a society intoxicated with noise, she longs for the silence of earth and sea.

The origin of this quote lies in de Pablo’s own life as an actress, immersed in an industry where lights, cameras, and illusions dominate. Surrounded by constant performance, she recognized the danger of losing herself in appearances. Her antidote is the isolation of nature—hiking the mountains, resting on islands untouched by the hand of mass tourism, immersing herself in landscapes that do not flatter the ego but humble it. Here she finds not escape but grounding, a way to touch again the soil of authenticity.

History has often shown great souls retreating to the wilderness for clarity and renewal. Siddhartha Gautama, before becoming the Buddha, left the luxury of his palace to wander forests and mountains, seeking truth not in jewels or feasts but in the stillness of nature. Henry David Thoreau, too, withdrew to Walden Pond, where the absence of glamour gave him vision deeper than the commerce of men could ever provide. In both, as in de Pablo, we see the same truth: that to be grounded, one must return to the earth, to solitude, to the simple voice of wind and water.

The meaning of her words is deeply emotional and heroic. To turn away from what dazzles is itself an act of courage, for the world seduces us with glamour, applause, and false lights. But de Pablo declares that the greater treasure lies in what is hidden—in the lonely island, in the unmarked path, in the quiet song of creation. The heart that dares to choose stillness over spectacle, authenticity over vanity, discovers a strength that no stage can grant. Nature grounds us because it reminds us of what we truly are: creatures of dust, breath, and spirit.

This truth is not only for sages or artists but for us all. The man who labors daily at his work may find peace not in a crowded marketplace, but in a walk through a quiet forest. The mother weary of constant demands may find renewal not in a glamorous vacation, but in the simple solitude of a garden. The student overwhelmed by ambition may find clarity not in chasing applause, but in sitting by a stream, listening to its eternal rhythm. For in nature, stripped of glamour, we rediscover the eternal laws of balance, patience, and simplicity.

The lesson for us, then, is to seek time away from glamour and distraction. Let us, as de Pablo teaches, go hiking, step upon lonely paths, and embrace isolated places where the voice of nature may reach us. Do not despise solitude, nor fear simplicity, for they are the ground upon which truth grows. The glamorous may amuse the eye, but the humble heals the soul.

Practically, this means setting aside regular moments to disconnect from the false lights of the world. Visit a park without your phone. Walk a trail without seeking photographs, but only silence. If you travel, choose not the tourist’s glitter, but the pilgrim’s solitude—places where you are not entertained, but awakened. And above all, when life grows heavy with vanity, return to the grounding power of nature.

Thus, Cote de Pablo’s words endure as a reminder: seek not glamour, but grounding; not applause, but authenticity. For in the stillness of unspoiled nature lies the renewal of the soul, and in that renewal, we find the strength to live not as actors upon a stage of illusion, but as true beings, humble and whole, children of earth and eternity.