I grew up in the beautiful mountains of northern New Mexico, where the Pecos river flowed and the cool breeze carried with it the fresh aroma of pine needles from the wilderness. Even as a child, I understood that there was something special about being outside and spending some alone time in nature. I can recall the smell of rain hitting the dirt and how that scent made me feel excited and calm, all at the same time. There was a hill behind my house which led to a cliff side. I would walk up there every so often, sit on a rock and just listen to the river. I would look all around, and in those moments, everything was right in the world.
Where is your favorite place to enjoy and explore nature? What peace does it bring to you?
I need to get out!
Have you ever been sitting inside, whether at home, school, or at work, and you have a million things to do and your mind is going a million miles per hour, and all of a sudden you get the urge to get outside as quickly as possible? Well, I know I have and I can recall many a time, especially at work or even in a stressful situation with family members. The truth is, getting outside, even just taking that first breath of fresh air will almost immediately help your body and mind to calm down. Then, you can start to think a little more clearly and hopefully work toward sorting out the situation that awaits you, back indoors.
There are studies that have shown that being in nature can strengthen and restore our mental capacities, increasing attention and focus.
Breathe in, breathe out.
One day, you will hit that moment when you feel like screaming or snapping a pencil in half, but go for a walk instead. Simply being outdoors will increase your willingness to participate in activity. Activity means moving your body, exercising, and allowing your body to block the stress hormone, cortisol. This will lead to your body increasing the amount of endorphins it’s making and allow it to release serotonin, which will mean you will feel happier, sleep better, and maybe even have an increased libido!
Outdoor exercise stimulates all five senses in a way that indoor activities cannot. Think about a hike with a friend or trying yoga in the park next weekend. How about a good old game of H-O-R-S-E on the basketball court or play catch with your kids. All of these are great ideas.
If you have the opportunity where you live, try looking up outdoor exercise classes. These are often offered by your local YMCA, so keep your eyes open for these types of opportunities.
Using nature to calm your body and mind.
Okay, so we all know how beneficial exercising is, especially if we are outdoors, but there are plenty of other activities to enjoy out in nature.
Do you like to read? If so, take your book with you outside, enjoy reading through the pages on your patio, deck, or sitting in the grass.
How about getting your line wet? Head out to your local stream, creek, river, lake or ocean and cast a line. It’s not even a necessity to catch a fish, it is simply about allowing your mind and body to enjoy the peace and quiet while you take in the smells, scenery, and noises that surround you.
Are you an artist? What better inspiration than Mother Earth? Take a few moments to let it sink in, then allow your creativity to run wild.
Get grounded.
Believe me, this is the kind of grounding you want. When stress and anxiety have taken us for a ride, take an even longer ride to literally the middle of nowhere and enjoy every minute of it. Once there, take a walk into the wilderness and surround yourself with trees, dirt, sky, rocks, and nearby water. Allow each of your senses to experience your surroundings.
Touch – let your bare feet touch the Earth, sit on a large rock, or take a dip in the refreshing cool water near you
Smell – breathe in that fresh air. What do you smell?
Taste – did you get some dirt in your mouth? It’s okay!
Hearing – close your eyes, sit still, and experience the sounds of nature
Sight – now, open your eyes. What colors are in the sky? Are there lots of clouds? What kind of tree is that? Was that a squirrel?
Allowing yourself this grounding time in nature will reconnect you with the Earth. This is almost like a reset button because it re energizes your mind and body. No, it cannot take away all of your stress or anxiety, but do you notice how much better you feel? While out in this environment, take a pen and notepad and jot down some notes. What are you feeling? What are you thinking? When are you planning on doing this again?
Time to head back indoors, now what?
Open a window, or even open up the curtains. Remember, fresh air and sunlight can work wonders, even if you are stuck inside all day.
Make yourself a priority. Even during a grueling work day, make the time to go outside. At my previous job, my co-workers and I would take short breaks throughout the day, especially after eating lunch, to walk around the building. We would ask each other if we were ready for some Vitamin D time. Although we might only have time to walk around the building a couple of times, this was a huge benefit to our mental health for the remainder of the day. Sometimes we would talk, other times we just walked without saying a word. This was excellent therapy, it helped us get back on track.
While writing this today, I took a break and went on a little walk. Although I didn’t walk very far, I did feel the light breeze on my face, heard the leaves rustling, smelled the neighbor’s fresh cut grass, saw some beautiful flowers, said hello to some kids playing and got to spend a few minutes in the sun. For a few minutes I just was…not working or overthinking or worrying…just being one with nature.
