Nurture Your Wellbeing Through Nature Connection – Earth and Mind

Spending time in nature and taking in the sights and sounds of the outside world can be a powerful way to reduce stress and nurture your mental health. This year marks the 55^th annual Earth Day, with the theme: “Our Power, Our Planet, one important thing you can reflect on is your connection with nature for your own mental health and wellbeing. Earth and Mind tell us more.

What do we mean by a nature connection?

Nature connection focuses on a person’s relationship with the natural world. Research has highlighted these 5 pathways to improve our nature connection…

• Contact – explore, connect and engage in the world around you
• Beauty – appreciate the beauty in the nature you can see/hear, and feel around you
• Meaning – Consider what meaning nature can offer you and your role as a part of nature, to what extent do you see yourself as a part of nature
• Emotion – pay attention to and reflect on the emotions that nature evokes in you
• Compassion – think about what you can give back to nature, care for and nuture nature around you

What are the benefits of nature connection?

At Earth and Mind, we have been working to promote improved mental health and wellbeing through activities in our natural environment, such as foraging and gardening, while providing a safe space with a community bond.

In a recent survey of community members who attended our gardening sessions, 100% reported an improvement in their mental wellbeing as a direct result of participating in these activities. 66% also reported positive changes to their general health since joining the sessions. Many group members mentioned other benefits such as increased confidence, relaxation and energy levels. Research has shown that gardening improves mental wellbeing, and some of our group members have said that gardening has allowed them to switch off from worries and negative thinking. One group member commented that “It felt amazing to work with the earth and be outdoors—it gave me energy and a real sense of wellbeing.”

Through surveys, we have identified several key barriers preventing people from accessing nature, including a lack of confidence, anxiety, time pressures and social factors. One participant highlighted the difficulty of overcoming anxiety to join a group, saying they had struggled with “Overcoming my confidence issues. Not wanting to go out alone, but once I do get out, I feel so much better”. Joining an outdoor group activity has the additional benefit of providing a space for social connection and a sense of community, which is vital for mental wellbeing. We have seen just how powerful group-based activities can be — in one of our surveys, 100% of participants reported feeling an improvement in their social wellbeing, highlighting how connection and community can help reduce isolation.”

If joining a group feels difficult for you, you can start with an individual activity. Here are some ideas for easing into nature connection:

• Going for a walk in our natural environment, such as a park or near a river
• Do your usual activity outdoors when possible! This could include completing work, hobbies or creative activities
• Focus on your senses when outdoors; what can you hear, see or feel?
• Bring the outdoors in by growing plants in your indoor or outdoor space
• Pay attention to the little things, this could be noticing the shapes of different leaves or trees. Enhancing your awareness of the beauty in nature around you can evoke a sense of awe for the natural world, sparking feelings of appreciation and gratitude which carry through to other aspects of your life.

One of the great things about nature connection is that this has been shown to benefit the planet, too!

As well as benefiting your mental and physical wellbeing, spending time outdoors also deepens your connection to the natural world. When we feel a deepened nature connection, we are more likely to care for the earth through nurturing green spaces, supporting wildlife or choosing more eco-friendly modes of transport. In this way, improving nature connection can also help to create a healthier environment for everyone. Celebrate this Earth Day by deepening your nature connection to benefit your wellbeing and the planet we call home!

For more information about Earth and Mind, visit the Earth and Mind website.