We hear a lot about how we’re supposed to be connecting more deeply with nature to improve our wellbeing. But for many of us, as we rush around dealing with work and life responsibilities, our daily contact with green spaces may be limited. Yet it’s such a simple way to top up our wellness tanks. A recent study of 20,000 people, led by researchers from the University of Exeter, discovered that just two hours a week spent in nature is the benchmark for enjoying the benefits of better health and psychological wellbeing.
Lindsey Harrad, Living Plantfully
So, when you do have time to head out to the woods, the coast or the countryside, consider making the experience more meaningful. Connecting with nature is more than just going for a walk – although that’s a good place to start – it’s about immersing yourself in the experience, engaging all your senses and not being afraid to get your hands dirty. It’s something that children do instinctively. If you release a group of kids into the woods, within minutes they will be kicking fallen leaves, hunting for sticks, damming a stream, making dens or jumping with glee into a muddy patch. They notice so much more too – fascinated by a sighting of berries, a beetle on a log, a bird in a tree, all those sights, sounds, textures and aromas of nature. We lose this instinct for play as we grow up, and a walk in the woods becomes simply ‘exercise’, a process of going from A to B that just happens to be under a canopy of trees, often preoccupied with thoughts of our ‘to-do’ list.
But what if we approached our time in nature with more mindfulness, and a little more childlike wonder? If we could stay completely in the moment, stopping to really notice and touch the texture of bark on a beautiful old tree, or tuning into the sound of a stream tumbling over rocks, or inhaling the clean, earthy aroma of the forest floor after rain, how much more enjoyable would that walk be? Engaging with these little signs of nature at work enriches even a short walk and gives your sense of wellbeing a boost.
5 tips to inspire your walks in nature:
Rediscover childhood pleasures
Do things the six-year-old you loved to do. Walk barefoot in the grass, crunch through autumn leaves, play Poohsticks, paddle in a stream, learn to identify wildflowers and draw your finds or, yes, hug a tree.
Tap into your passion
Not everyone enjoys a walk just for a walk’s sake. Finding a purpose for the walks can help. A daily walk to a quiet spot in nature for sketching, photography or writing a journal can unleash your creative potential.
Factor in time to play
Simple additions to a family walk, such as taking along a fishing net for pond dipping or sketchbooks for bark rubbing, playing Eye Spy, geocaching, collecting leaves for scrapbooking or crafts, or learning to identify trees can make it feel more purposeful.
Foraging and feasting
As the seasons change, buy a field guide and go looking for wild foods, such as blackberries or apples; there’s such joy in the hunt and in the eating.
Sit quietly
On your walks, take time to sit peacefully and enjoy a mindful moment. Tune into the sounds and sights around you, from birdsong to raindrops glistening on a spider’s web or a squirrel darting about among the trees. Breathe deeply and release any anxiety and stress.
Lindsey Harrad is the author of Living Plantfully: Your Guide to Growing, Cooking and Living a Healthy, Happy & Sustainable Plant-Based Life. (Welbeck Balance, £16.99)
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