As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, it’s tempting to retreat indoors and hibernate until spring. But now, more than ever, is the time to embrace the wonders of nature. Recent studies have shown that people in the UK are more disconnected from the natural world than most of our European neighbors, leading to a decline in both nature’s wellbeing and our own. The good news? A new relationship with nature can start with just a few simple activities, right on your doorstep.
Noticing Nature’s Gifts
One of the easiest ways to reconnect with nature is simply to pay attention. We often walk through parks or gardens without truly seeing the trees, hearing the birdsong, or feeling the breeze on our skin. By tuning in to the sensory experiences around us, we can transform a passive wander into an immersive journey of discovery.
When we truly notice nature, something magical happens. We start to appreciate its beauty, find meaning in its existence, and feel a positive change in our emotions.
Try this simple activity: each day for a week, write down three good things in nature that you notice. These can be small moments of beauty, like the song of a robin or the movement of a tree in the breeze, or wider reflections on the diversity and wonder of the world around you.
Embrace the Rhythms of Day and Night
Our bodies evolved to be deeply in tune with the natural rhythms of light and dark. Exposure to daylight helps calibrate our circadian rhythm, regulating sleep, wakefulness, and even our emotional wellbeing. As the days grow shorter, make a point of getting outside while it’s light, even for a short time.
But don’t neglect the unique charms of dusk and nightfall. Wrap up warm and head out for an evening stroll, watching the colors change as the light fades. Listen for the calls of birds heading to roost, or the hoot of an owl carried on the cooling air. The night sky offers its own wonders, from the bright dot of a planet to the vast expanse of stars.
Find Calm in Nature’s Soft Fascination
In our busy modern lives, our attention is constantly pulled in different directions by screens, notifications, and demands. Nature, in contrast, captures our attention in a gentler way, through the soft fascination of its sights, sounds, and textures. Spending even a short time focusing on falling leaves or rippling water can calm an overstimulated mind and allow our brains some much-needed rest.
Just 40 seconds of gently viewing nature can foster an effortless sense of calm, freeing us from the demands of paying attention.
Delight in Nature’s Details
From the joyous flight of birds to the delicate beauty of a single flower, tuning in to nature’s details reveals layer upon layer of wonder. Take a few minutes each day to simply observe the birds in your garden or local park, marveling at their effortless motion and lively interactions. No need for binoculars or field guides, just find joy in their presence.
Or turn your gaze to the ground and seek out a flower, whether a cultivated bloom or a hardy weed sprouting from a pavement crack. Really look at its colors, structures, and textures. Notice how the light plays across its surface. Breathe in its scent. A single flower has the power to reduce stress and blood pressure in mere seconds.
Reconnect with Ancient Allies
We may think of ourselves as separate from nature, but our bodies tell a different story. We are walking ecosystems, our health intimately entwined with the trillions of microorganisms that live on and within us. Spending time in natural environments, especially ancient woodlands, exposes us to beneficial bacteria that boost our immunity and mental wellbeing.
Try this simple grounding exercise: Find an old tree and sit or stand with your back resting against its trunk. Close your eyes and take a few slow, deep breaths, counting to four for each inhale, hold and exhale. Feel your connection to the earth, the air, the web of life that sustains us all.
Become a Nature Guardian
The natural world is much more than a pill to pop for our own wellbeing. A sustainable future for our planet requires that we look after nature just as nature looks after us.
As you notice and appreciate nature more, you may feel called to give something back. Small actions can have a big impact, especially if many of us take them. Here are a few ideas:
- Let a corner of your garden grow wild to provide shelter for insects and small mammals.
- Leave some flowers to go to seed to feed the birds.
- Join or support a local conservation group to protect and restore natural habitats.
- Make your voice heard on issues affecting the environment, from local planning to national policy.
Nurture a Lifelong Bond
Connecting with nature is not a one-time box to tick but a lifelong relationship to nurture. The more we tune in to the living world around us, the more beauty and meaning we find there, in good times and hard times. Nature is always waiting to welcome us back into the fold.
So as the clocks turn back and the nights draw in, don’t retreat from nature but move towards it with open senses and an open heart. Marvel at the wonders on your doorstep. Feel the calm of a woodland glade. Delight in the dances of bird and butterfly. Get to know the ecosystem that is your own body. Serve as a guardian for the living webs that sustain us all. The gifts you receive in return will be priceless and lifelong.
The natural world is a part of you. Breathe it in, let it fill your senses, and cherish it like the treasure it is.
Or turn your gaze to the ground and seek out a flower, whether a cultivated bloom or a hardy weed sprouting from a pavement crack. Really look at its colors, structures, and textures. Notice how the light plays across its surface. Breathe in its scent. A single flower has the power to reduce stress and blood pressure in mere seconds.
Reconnect with Ancient Allies
We may think of ourselves as separate from nature, but our bodies tell a different story. We are walking ecosystems, our health intimately entwined with the trillions of microorganisms that live on and within us. Spending time in natural environments, especially ancient woodlands, exposes us to beneficial bacteria that boost our immunity and mental wellbeing.
Try this simple grounding exercise: Find an old tree and sit or stand with your back resting against its trunk. Close your eyes and take a few slow, deep breaths, counting to four for each inhale, hold and exhale. Feel your connection to the earth, the air, the web of life that sustains us all.
Become a Nature Guardian
The natural world is much more than a pill to pop for our own wellbeing. A sustainable future for our planet requires that we look after nature just as nature looks after us.
As you notice and appreciate nature more, you may feel called to give something back. Small actions can have a big impact, especially if many of us take them. Here are a few ideas:
- Let a corner of your garden grow wild to provide shelter for insects and small mammals.
- Leave some flowers to go to seed to feed the birds.
- Join or support a local conservation group to protect and restore natural habitats.
- Make your voice heard on issues affecting the environment, from local planning to national policy.
Nurture a Lifelong Bond
Connecting with nature is not a one-time box to tick but a lifelong relationship to nurture. The more we tune in to the living world around us, the more beauty and meaning we find there, in good times and hard times. Nature is always waiting to welcome us back into the fold.
So as the clocks turn back and the nights draw in, don’t retreat from nature but move towards it with open senses and an open heart. Marvel at the wonders on your doorstep. Feel the calm of a woodland glade. Delight in the dances of bird and butterfly. Get to know the ecosystem that is your own body. Serve as a guardian for the living webs that sustain us all. The gifts you receive in return will be priceless and lifelong.
The natural world is a part of you. Breathe it in, let it fill your senses, and cherish it like the treasure it is.
