Connect With Nature

Disconnection from nature is considered one of the major problems facing nature conservation.
The term ‘connection to nature’ is frequently used to describe our enduring relationship with nature, including emotions, attitudes and behaviour.
Perhaps not surprisingly, people with strong nature connectedness are likelier to have pro-environmental behaviours such as recycling items or buying seasonal food. This is likely to lead to further benefits if these pro-environmental activities can lead to natural improvements that we can then go on to enjoy.
At a time of devastating environmental threats, developing a stronger, mutually supportive relationship between people and the environment will be critical.

Benefits

Connecting with nature can reduce stress in daily life and also improve your mental health. Studies reveal that spending as little as 10 minutes in natural surroundings can help students feel happier and reduce physical and psychological stress. Furthermore, studies show that taking a window view of nature from the top floor of your office can alleviate job stress and improve your overall well-being. 

In hospitals a survey revealed that patients in rooms with nature paintings were less anxious and required a lesser dose of pain medication than patients in the other rooms without representations of our natural world.

And a study by the University of Rochester revealed that being outdoors in nature makes people come alive both physically and mentally. 

Five Ways To Connect While Taking A Walk

1. One of the most important ways to connect with nature is to truly be present in the moment. You can practice this by first taking out a few minutes within everyday life to detach yourself from your busy schedules, take deep breaths and spend time taking in the trees, birds, and everything within your natural surroundings. 

2. Learn to engage your five senses. Nature is a sensory experience that involves seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and sometimes tasting.
   Take a deep breath, feel the wind and sun penetrate your skin, and listen closely to the sound of trees, the birds and insects. Focus further on these sounds and engage your sense of smell and taste. Engaging your senses whenever you’re outside allows you to appreciate your natural surrounding rather than passing them by. 

3. Connect with nature by using your creativity. You could do this through the lens of a camera, a drawing, or a painting.
   You could stop for a while, sit in your favourite spot and draw or paint what you see in front of you. Spending time thinking in nature might also help provide you with a new perspective on a problem or worry.

4. Do you love trees, flowers, and plants? While you are out walking notice their stems, leaves, roots, scent and everything in between. You could also take time to study the different kinds of plants, and their names and observe how they interact with insects and other organisms. And if you haven’t ever hugged a tree why not give that a try?

5. Find a nature friend so that you can hold each other accountable. Pick an activity to do outside, like hiking, trail running or dog walking that the two (or more!) of you can do together, this way you’re less likely to skip out on the days when you’re feeling tired or overwhelmed. Sharing time outside with a friend or loved one makes it all the more enjoyable by allowing both of you the time to reconnect with nature and each other.