Albert Einstein once said that if you look deeply into nature, you will understand everything better. Being in nature can help us to experience something greater than ourselves in a tangible way that is hard to match. Sometimes I find that when I feel overwhelmed by all the things that life drops at my door, recognizing that I’m just a small piece in something greater can help bring perspective that moves me forward.
Living on the Texas Gulf Coast, I am fortunate to have beaches and parks close to my home where I can spend time in the sunshine. Even living in big cities, opportunities can be found to spend time outside, though it may take a bit of extra planning. After all, the United States boasts a total of 423 national parks to enjoy.
With all the things on our plates from day to day, finding time to spend in nature can be hard. Just like any other form of self care, it takes active planning to make things happen. Without making a dedicated effort to take time away from life's chaos and enjoy the great outdoors, we tend to put these kinds of goals on the back burner. So, what can we do to increase our chances to following through with a goal to experience nature as self care? Here are some thoughts:
1) Plan ahead. At the start of every month, grab your calendar and do some planning ahead. Try to consider alternative self care plans in case the weather doesn't cooperate.
2) Invite a buddy. Having someone else relying on us to follow through can really help us get moving. Friends, partners and children can benefit from this self care time in nature, too, so why not bring them along!
3) Try to bring nature into your daily life. If you can't spend time outside on a regular basis, consider ways to bring nature to you. Gardening, indoor plants and even following nature sites on social media can help inspire us to make and follow through with nature plans.
While most of us can't spend every day walking in the woods, with a bit of planning and partnership, we can all find small ways to benefit from the therapeutic value of nature.
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