Getting outside can help manage stress, boost overall health, and help you connect with yourself
If you haven't had a chance to download my free e-book, I invite you to do so. It's ten tips for overall wellness and well-being that I've put together based on my 25+ years experience as a nurse and my 50 years of life on this planet.
Tip number 2 is all about connecting with Nature and although I consider all the tips in this book helpful, this is one that's at the top of my list.
A quiet morning here in early summer just outside of Syracuse, New York
Being in nature just makes us feel good. It's not something I've tried to analyze, because I just want to enjoy those moments and "be." But I had heard about forest bathing, and finding out a little more about this intrigued me, so I started reading a book by Dr. Qing Li called Forest Bathing - How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness. What I learned is that this concept has actually been studied, and there are measurable benefits to human wellness and well-being.
Being among trees is a healing experience, as we take in the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of our surroundings. The feel of bark against our hand, the grass as it brushes a leg, the breeze over our skin, or the warmth of sunlight glittering gently through the leaves onto our face. The smell of pine, dried leaves, damp leaves, citrus, or dirt. The sounds of birds or chipmunks, the crackle of sticks as creatures move about, crickets, the wind through the trees, or...nothing at all. You may see the gentle sway of branches, the dancing leaves in the wind, birds flying and other wildlife scampering about, the flow of a stream over rocks, or the utter stillness as things lie seemingly motionless.
I don't know about you, but just reading this somehow relaxed me.
Humans are meant to live in rhythm with Nature, and although our creature comforts can make our lives, well, comfortable, it's easy to remain indoors and disconnected from the beauty outside. People can become consumed with work, tasks, deadlines, and electronic devices. Air-conditioned or heated offices and houses make it comfortable enough to stay put. And we're often so fatigued from work and activities that we forego that walk outside and opt to lounge on the couch. As a result, we can spend many of our waking hours indoors. I'm speaking from my own experience, but I'm sure it's familiar to other people out there!
Getting out of that environment and spending time among the natural world can help us manage stress, allow for better rest, and connect with ourselves. I'm sure this is no secret to anyone who's enjoyed a peaceful walk in a forest, along a beach, or in a park, or taken in a view of majestic mountains, or gazed at the stars and planets, or been in the presence of a waterfall, or even picked fresh vegetables from their garden. It's a disconnect from the stress of everyday life, putting us in touch with the wonders of this Earth and Universe.
I encourage you to get outdoors and connect with Nature whenever you can. While it's wonderful if you can get to a place with trees, connecting with Nature can take many forms, and can be as simple as a walk around your neighborhood, tending to a garden (be that in a yard, or even your patio) or houseplants, or sitting on the front steps watching the world go by. Everyone's environment is different, so make the best of what you have available to you.
For example, even though I live in a climate with severe weather and temperature swings, I still make the effort to get outdoors when possible. Once I started doing this, I noticed how magical the change of seasons is here instead of taking them for granted. I noticed the delicate snow on branches and the cool blues and grays of winter. The refreshing rains of spring as the buds emerge on trees and the palette changes to greens, pinks and yellows. The lush burst of green and smell of freshly cut grass in the summer heat. The spectacular display of red, gold and orange and the smell of freshly fallen leaves in crisp autumn air.
I live in an area with parks, wooded areas with trails, and waterfalls, so if I'm not walking around my neighborhood, I venture to these places on occasion. A few times a year I travel to the forested wilderness of the Adirondack Mountains and experience the healing beauty of this area, including the welcoming smell of balsam and the grounding feeling of touching 2 billion year old rock. I work in a city, so during my lunch breaks, I'll often go outside to walk - even in a city there can be areas that are landscaped with trees and flowers.
Work with what you have available. You just might discover something beautiful.
I'm curious what you like to do to connect with Nature. If you live in an urban area, do you have a park to go to, or do you make your own oasis with plants on a patio? If you're in a rural area, how do you like to connect with Nature?
Jeannette
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