7 Ways to Reconnect with Nature

By now, we all know the benefits of connecting with nature. Or do we? If you need a reminder, studies have shown how time immersed in natural environments can reduce stress, improve mood, boost creativity and provide a host of other mental and physical benefits.

But sometimes we get bogged down with the day-to-day, forgetting how important this is. So here are some reminders and ideas on how to integrate nature and make it a part of your everyday life and wellbeing habits.

Plan your weekends ahead – get hiking

If you’re one of those people who lets the weekend roll around with no plans in place, then start by getting the calendar out and planning some walks out in the countryside. How many bank holidays are there that you could take advantage of, and national parks that you have never visited before? Get those hiking boots out, brush off your Kanken bag and check your tent for damage, and research some routes and destinations. You don’t have to camp overnight but you’ll get extra brownie points if you do! 

Connect to nature in every room

Living and working in the city doesn’t have to mean losing your connection with Mother Nature altogether. Adding some green to your home purifies the air and brings a level of peace and tranquillity to any space. Where to start? Take a look around first – which areas get good sunlight and which are darker corners? Match your plant picks accordingly. For shady spots, go for snake plants, ZZ plants and pothos – these can practically survive on air. If you’ve got some prime sunny windows though, load up on flowering orchids, cheery succulents, or windowsill herb gardens. You can always take a drive to your local garden centre and talk to a staff member about species that are suitable for your living space.

Revive your home with natural products

Think about how many synthetic items you use every day, and look at how you can replace them with products made from natural materials. You may not know it, but bamboo can be made into a wide range of kitchen tools and implements, timber is a natural material that you can add to your living space in so many ways. Aside from furniture, you can have wooden art and ornaments and that does help to surround you with natural elements. 

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Relocate to a greener environment

Connecting with nature on a daily basis is going to be a whole lot easier if you live within it. If you are lucky enough to have a job where remote working is permitted, you could consider moving to the suburbs or the countryside. Lush green spaces, hiking trails, and local farms can become your new backyard playground. Waking to the sound of birds instead of blaring car horns. If stress reduction and wellbeing is your priority, then this is something to seriously look into.

Dining outdoors

If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space, make it an “al fresco” haven and plan to have your meals outside when weather permits. Design it so that it’s easy to use in any moment, with permanent seating that you can add cushions to, a pagoda or some other construction made from natural materials to give shade, and surround it with plants and shrubs. And when it’s not being used for dining and entertaining, it can be used as your meditation space. 

Include organic fruit and vegetables in your diet

A way to really connect with nature’s vibe is to get plenty of organic fruits and veggies into your diet. There’s just something special about biting into a crisp apple or juicy tomato that was grown naturally, like you can taste the energy from that plant springing up out of the good earth.

Instead of grabbing the same old stuff from the grocery store that’s been shipped across the country, why not get a weekly farm box delivered straight from a local grower? You’ll get all the freshest seasonal produce at its peak ripeness when it tastes the absolute best. And it feels good supporting the nearby farms doing it the right way.

Seasonality is nature too. You’ll start to tune into what’s growing when. The first strawberries of spring, those luscious summer peaches, fall’s hearty root vegetables. You’ll be plugged right into nature’s cycles instead of just mindlessly eating. 

Buy a mountain bike

If indoor stagnation has you feeling uninspired, consider a mountain bike as your catalyst to reconnect with the great outdoors. Trade city gridlock for paths winding through forests where only whispers of leaves can be heard. These days, a few hundred dollars can get you a decent bike with disc brakes and sufficient gears to tackle any terrain.  Don’t let a non-existent hiking impulse deter you from exploring the great outdoors. A two-wheeled companion can provide a ticket to escape the staleness of indoor living to remote singletrack trails leading you to vistas, waterfalls, and sunlit meadows that rejuvenate the soul. 

So, there you have a broad spectrum of ideas to get reacquainted with nature, and integrate it with your daily life. However hectic and urban your life may be now, there are plenty of ways to connect with mother nature. If you take your well being seriously, you’ll seriously consider the options available to you. 

We come from the earth and that is where we return and whatever the lifestyle, we all need a connection with Mother Earth.

The Coach Space

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