While the last chills of winter are still with us, springs colours are undeniable in Bristol. The trees are mostly bare apart from the occasional joyous dash of blossom and the dark soil is peppered with daffodils, snow drops and crocus. The days are slowly opening and there are moments of warmth; All around things are in transition.
As humans we have been conditioned to work so hard, not have so much time off, not listen to our bodies etc and for us all to be the same. But, and this is a huge But, we are all different. Each and every one of us is different. Exactly like each blade of grass or each leaf on the tree. We need to try and switch off from this and become our own person. You’ve just got to look at your thumb or finger print to realise we are all unique. And nature is the same, we just need to take time out of our busy daily lives and really look around, taking in each and everything we look at.
So by looking at these next five reasons to take yourself outside, let us know which one resonates with you the most in the comments below and make sure you tag us. Maybe take a photo of you out in nature.
1. Nature Is Our biggest Healer
Even just going outside for 5 minutes when we are really stressed allows our body to connect with nature. We are all energy and everything around us is made from energy. When we are out in nature, this energy allows us to feel calm and nurtured because mother nature herself is taking care of us. Our serotonin levels are increased (that’s our calming hormone) and our cortisol levels drop (that’s our stress hormone) just by being outside. Isn’t that amazing.
2. Breathing in Fresh Air
Breath work is my go-to and should be everyone’s go to when they are feeling low and stressed.
By breathing in the fresh air which is around us outside, this allows our oxygen levels in the body’s cells to increase. This in turn oxygenates the brain, immediately making us feel so much better. The way we breathe when we are stressed isn’t allowing the right amount of oxygen into our system. We shallow breathe. But by going outside, taking in three big deep breaths, inhaling through the nose, and exhaling through the mouth, this immediately makes us feel calmer and more connected to nature. Do this next time you are feeling anxious, stressed or tired. Get that oxygen into your blood cells, they will thank you for it. Trust me.
3. Grounding
Next time you are outside, remove your shoes and socks and take a walk wherever you are.
Notice how you feel. Spread out your toes and let whatever is below you, soak up the soles of your feet. If you are on grass, let the feeling of the grass envelope your feet. How does this make you feel? Notice your stresses and worries float away especially if you bring a little breath work into it to. If you are on the beach, notice the tiny grains of sand below your feet. Notice how the sand moulds around your feet and notice that each tiny grain of sand is unique, just like you. Use the earths energy and gravity to pull you down, healing you at ground level. Its incredible.
4. Elements Around You
This might seem an odd one but notice as I said before the change in seasons and the weather it brings. On a cold winters morning, dress up nice and warm, go outside and just listen. Listen to the howling wind. Watch the crisp frost on a leaf melt away when the sun hits it. Smell the fresh air all around you.
No matter what season you are in. Start to notice the elements of mother earth. Start to notice what she does and how she does it. Weather is incredible if we just give it a chance and always notice how you feel. If it’s a really stormy day and you live near the beach, take a walk down to the sea and watch the waves. Look how the wind is guiding the water and making them crash into the shore. Look how high the waves get. This is all energy around us. High energy when the wind is like this. Notice how you feel. There the saying ‘blow the cobwebs away’ and by doing this it really does help you to understand what is going on inside your head. It really does help to bring clarity to your soul.
5. Exercise In Nature
I’ve kind of covered this in the first one but if you can exercise outside in nature, then you will feel so much more calmer. Just by moving your body even if its just three minutes before you get started in the morning will really set you up for you day.
The other way to look at is if you are again feeling stressed and anxious, by exercising outside say going for a run, walk, cycle or even wild swimming this allows you to feel connected to mother earth again. Any kind of movement releases endorphins (your happy hormone) and increases the serotonin and decreases the cortisol in your body. Making you feel even more relaxed and happy. You are breathing in fresh air, moving your body and feeling good about yourself. Exercising in nature really helps to have a clearer mind no matter what is going on in your life right now.
So whatever you are going through right now in your life, know that by going outside in nature you will have more clarity, feel more calmer, feel better about yourself and be a better person than you were when you were inside somewhere.
Promise me that when you do feel like this, go outside in nature and feel better.
Gemma hosts Easyoga Podcast, voted Best 15 UK Yoga Podcasts by Feedspot. Go check it out here and listen to Yogafurie’s Ed discussing how he came to yoga, helping our clients and Yogafurie’s Reforestation mission.
Let us know how you get on and which one you’ve tried by leaving a comment below.
