Commit to Calm Day 6

Connecting with nature is related to well-being. Read more about why it’s important to take time to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, like walking outside.

Last night presented a golden opportunity in which the kids were being watched by someone else and my husband got home early from work. This rarely happens these days, so I seized the moment. We went on a walk just the two of us. As I mentioned before, we live close to a green belt that meanders near a few small community lakes. These are not large outdoor recreation lakes, but rather provide a pretty way to connect with nature in the middle of the city. Andrew and I walked around one of these lakes as the sun set.

Lake Sunset
A nearby lake at sunset.

I walk around the lake and we bike the green belt regularly. Partly, it’s just fun to get outdoors and these kids need to burn off some steam. But it’s more than that. There is a calming energy that comes from taking a moment to experience nature. I started walking Scooby around the lake in the last few years not for exercise, but for the effect on my mental health. I noticed a drastic improvement in how I felt after these walks, which could not be duplicated in the gym.

Don’t get me wrong, I advocate for regular exercise any way you can get it. Exercise is good for anxiety. However, there is a noticeable difference that only being outdoors can provide. Earlier this week I was discussing this exact thing with a friend. Like me, she’s a mom dealing with the anxiety and stress of sending her kids back to school. After that first school drop off, she was going on a walk outdoors. She is learning to embrace the physical and mental benefits of walking that she can’t get from an intense workout. A connection with nature has a huge impact.

"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads." -Henry David Thoreau

The science behind nature and well-being

I assumed we weren’t the only ones who made this connection, so I looked to science to back us up. It turns out, research demonstrates nature has a positive effect on our well-being. Anything from simply looking at images of nature, to being outdoors, to active involvement with nature can be beneficial to our mental health.[1] In one study, being in the woods was calming and associated with contentment.[2] Hence, we feel better and are happier after time spent outside.

Another study revealed exercising outdoors leads to a feeling of connection with nature. Even more important, this connection to nature can positively influence psychological well-being and anxiety.[3] In addition, researchers found physical activity in the presence of nature, or what is referred to as green exercise, can improve self-esteem and mood.[4] This effect was even higher in the presence of water. No wonder these walks calm my anxious mind!

For more on the benefits of exercising outside, particularly hiking, see here!
A family walk around the lake creates a connection with nature
A summer walk around the lake with the boys and Scooby.

Interestingly, you can incorporate the previously discussed benefits of practicing gratitude with the benefits provided by nature. Three Good Things In Nature is an intervention developed by researchers. Participants observe and write down three good things in nature daily for a week. As a result, they experience an increased connection with nature, which is linked with improvements in psychological health.[5] Building our gratitude skills as well as increasing contentment could have a huge impact on a sense of calm.

Nature’s beauty is a gift that cultivates appreciation and gratitude.

Louie SchwartzbeRg

Walking in nature and my commitment to calm

The desire to do something simply for enjoyment (no boxes to check on that to-do list!) was my motivation last night. The fourth activity on my Commitment to Calm is “Enjoy life by purposefully choosing to do an activity simply for pleasure.” I chose to include this item on the Commitment for several reasons:

  1. I often postpone fun in favor of my to-do list. The need to feel productive makes me lose sight of taking a moment to enjoy life.
  2. I desire to feel more present in the moment. Doing something, even briefly, simply because it provides pleasure, gives me a second to pause.
  3. If I take more time for pleasure, I will be taking more time to enjoy life, or increasing my contentment.

In summary, we all know it is important to take time to enjoy life. For me personally, I must actively work on this or else it is forgotten. It creates contentment, and ultimately the sense of calm I desire. Another way to create calm is to connect with nature. Last night was the perfect example of choosing an activity for pure pleasure. Plus, I earned the added benefit from being in nature. It was worth it!

How about you? Comment on the outdoor spots you enjoy!

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[1]   Lawton, E., Brymer, E., Clough, P., & Denovan, A. (2017). The relationship between the physical activity environment, nature relatedness, anxiety, and the psychological well-being benefits of regular exercisers. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 1058.

[2] Barton, J.; Pretty, J. What is the best dose of nature and green exercise for improving mental health? A multi-study analysis. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2010, 44 (10), 3947– 3955,  https://doi.org/10.1021/es903183r

[3] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/shi.220

[4] Richardson, M., McEwan, K., Maratos, F. et al. Joy and Calm: How an Evolutionary Functional Model of Affect Regulation Informs Positive Emotions in Nature. Evolutionary Psychological Science 2, 308–320 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-016-0065-5

[5] https://www.psychreg.org/connection-with-nature-matters/