Spending time in nature and bringing green space into your everyday life is a great way to benefit both your physical and mental well-being. Each individual has a different experience with nature, and they all have distinct reasons for wishing to connect more with it. The benefits are universal and even the smallest acts can build and strengthen that relationship.
Here are 4 ways everyone can bring themselves closer to nature.
Getting Outside
Simply getting outside is a great first step to building your relationship with nature, whether that’s taking a walk or bike ride, or visiting your local park.
“It’s key to use your five senses while outside to take in your surroundings,” says Aislinn Pluta, a New Hampshire resident. “Notice the smells around you. Pay attention to what you can hear – whether that’s birds or even traffic sounds. Find something to touch, like the smoothness of a rock or the roughness of bark. Tuning into the present moment can turn a simple walk into an even richer mindfulness practice, beyond the benefits of fresh air and exercise.”
Something as simple as taking a walk in your neighborhood or as extravagant as planning a long, off-grid backpacking trip can help you build and strengthen your bond with the natural world around you.
Taking moments to get outside will not only cultivate a relationship with nature; it will also provide myriad physical and mental benefits. Studies show that being outside reduces stress, cortisol levels, muscle tension, and heart rates as well as lowering the risk of depression and fostering faster psychological stress recovery.
Develop Rituals Around the Seasons
Seasonal rituals include mundane everyday tasks as well as more momentous instances of change as the seasons shift. Whether it’s getting your lawn equipment ready after winter, getting together with family for a holiday celebration, or spring cleaning, living seasonally and developing seasonal rituals are a fantastic way to connect with nature, even as the environment continuously changes.
“You can develop rituals around the seasons,” says Pluta. “For example, at home you might have a nature table where you place acorns, flowers, or small objects that highlight how the seasons are changing.”
Developing seasonal rituals can also help in establishing better work-life balance and can keep you organized and productive. These rituals offer opportunities to address changing needs, anticipate coming events, and reflect on transformations. Likely, you already have seasonal rituals you already partake in. Recognizing them, developing new ones, and reflecting on them and how they mark the passage of time for you is a great way to connect with nature.
Get an Indoor Plant
Something as seemingly simple as keeping one (or many!) indoor plants is another way to get closer to nature while also boosting your health and well-being. Studies show that we spend more that 85% of our lives indoors and houseplants offer a way to bring nature inside if you can’t set aside much time to get outside.
Indoor plants can improve air quality, reduce stress, improve your sense of well-being, and support cognitive health. A quick Google search can help you identify the best plants to start with and how to best care for your new green housemates.
With the current work-life environment, there often isn’t enough time in the day to set aside for substantial time outside, but indoor plants offer a great way to bring nature inside.
Get Into Gardening
If you’re ready to take your green thumb outside, outdoor gardening is a great way to connect with nature while also nourishing your physical and mental health—and you get to add fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers to your dinner table!
With exposure to vitamin D, you unlock a decreased risk of dementia, mood-boosting benefits, and a bit of aerobic exercise. Outdoor gardening brings great benefits to your well-being while also being a way for you to connect with nature in your daily life.
Community gardens are also a great way to build social relationships and engage with others in a shared interest. By creating opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education, partnering with your local community garden gives you a chance to connect with nature and each other.
Current lifestyles don’t revolve around spending time outside, but the benefits of connecting with nature are unmatched. Whether simply going for a walk or connecting with your neighbors to tend a community garden, bringing nature into your everyday routine will enhance your physical and mental well-being in numerous ways.