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| photo credit: Anna Krawczyk |
This recent article posted on Facebook caught my attention: The Original Natural Remedy for Burnout: Nature. The article cites a recent study with this interesting but perhaps not surprising statistic:
"People report that they feel significantly happier outdoors than they do indoors, yet we spend less than 5 percent of our waking hours in nature."
The article cites research to back up many of the stress and anxiety-relieving benefits of spending time in nature. The author also writes about studies done on nature's impact on creativity and the ability to think more clearly. I definitely have experienced those benefits in my own life. If you're interested in learning more about the research or you just need a good reminder to spend more time in nature, take a few minutes to read this article. I like the fact that the author gives some concrete suggestions of how we can make a more intentional effort to spend time in nature.
If you've read my blog at all, you know that I often write about nature and reflect on its therapeutic effects. So if you need inspiration or want to immerse yourself in nature on a day when you're stuck inside, I've linked some of my nature-themed posts below. These posts also show that spending time in nature doesn't have to mean a trip to a State or National Park, as wonderful and beneficial as those trips can be. Most of us can find beautiful and restorative natural places closer to home.
I hope you'll spend some time in nature this holiday weekend!
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cell phone/nature poem for the first day of spring
in-between
I hug the trees too.
"Prettyish kind of a little wilderness" - in the city
Nature therapy
Yesterday a friend and I were talking about some things we had read, one of which included the benefit of being close to the earth and walking barefoot on the earth. We both pledged to find some clean grassy patch or go to the beach and feel the ground beneath us. I'm also a big fan of lying on back and gazing at the sky - whatever its current condition. And, though I don't know the name, Kirk's mom just told me about a tree book she read that she thought was phenomenal. Gotta love trees!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great reminder and a push in the right direction! :-)
Yes, barefoot in the grass sounds lovely! The weather this weekend is going to be warm; I'm going to take my own advice and try to get outside and in nature as much as possible! If you remember the name of that tree book, please let me know.
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