Do you know that feeling when your head is buzzing? Completely full. To-do lists, people you want to see, places you want to go. Work, family, the future. Sometimes it all gets quite heavy.
One simple way out of your head: get out into nature. It is not a miracle cure. But it can do a lot. A large study from England found that people who spend at least 120 minutes a week in nature more often report good health and high wellbeing (source). Whether you enjoy being outdoors or prefer to stay in, time outside costs nothing, is simple and can change your day.
Next time you feel overwhelmed, or better still, before it gets that far: go outside and see what a bit of fresh air and greenery does for you. You do not need to head into the wilderness. If you live in a city, the park around the corner or a tree-lined avenue is enough.
What helps me outdoors: going through the five senses, one after another.
What do you see? Depending on the season, a whole palette of colours, shapes and patterns.
What do you smell? Is something in bloom? Maybe it smells of pine forest, or of wet earth after a shower of rain.
What do you taste? Take something with you that you like to eat, or simply notice how the air tastes.
What do you feel? Perhaps you fancy taking off your shoes and standing barefoot in the grass, dipping your feet in water, or running your hand over leaves and bark.
What do you hear? Listen to the birds. To the wind in the trees. And to the sounds you usually tune out in everyday life.
When you give each sense your attention in turn, you arrive at what is around you right now. The noise in your head and all the demands step back for a moment. If getting started is hard, or your thoughts keep wandering, that is perfectly fine. You have nothing to achieve here. This is your time to let go and arrive.
When will you go outside this week?
And if you notice that your head does not get any quieter even outdoors, let us take a look together in a Clarity Call.
Written by Thorsten Enderlin
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