Three reasons why time in nature is my go-to self-care reset

It was an early Saturday morning.

The light was peeking through the trees, the temperature was slowly rising, and I was heading to my favorite spot. It wasn’t a particular rock or stump I was chasing but a feeling of being immersed in nature. Fully and wholly, giving the space for nature to give back to me in a season of need.

As I walked through the woods and my mind started to unravel, my eyes began to follow the shape of the path in front of me.

It was winding between the trees and trunks...under branches and over roots, with no moment the same.

I wondered…what if the path were perfectly straight? Would it be so beautiful and inspiring? Would it be enjoyable? Or would it be too predictable, too perfect? 

In this moment of imperfection and through subsequent stops along the path, I realized how much nature can teach us. 

I realized why I crave being in nature in times of stress. 

When I’m burnt out, overwhelmed, or shattered - nature has so much to offer.

Nature can teach us…it is okay to be imperfect.

·        In some ways, it’s more exciting not knowing what’s around the next turn

·         There will be times when the path isn’t easy - that is a given, but isn’t that what makes it beautiful? Whether it’s a bump in the actual road or your life, it’s the bumps that make up our lives, good or bad. They make us who we are, and no two people will experience those bumps the same

Nature can teach us…to slow down. 

·         When I’m sitting on a rock in the middle of a creek, surrounded by water and trees, it’s like a release valve on my mind to let go and slow down. It’s the permission slip we all need to let everything go and be

·         It’s only when I slow down that I can hear my thoughts. 

·         The silence, the slow, brings me back to myself.

Nature can inspire us.

In nature, I find gratitude for the little things. The pause of these moments brings you back to life, they bring you back to noticing the simple pleasures:

·         The beauty of the light hitting the trees

·         The sound of the flowing water. 

·         The little ecosystems that keep on living 

Surrounding yourself doesn’t have to be a grandiose adventure; it can be imagining these places or looking at a picture. 

Next time you’re overwhelmed, burnt out, or stressed out…give nature a chance; you might be surprised what tools she has in store for you.