A simple, effective and proven way to reduce stress level is to spend time in nature.
Being in a state of stress or anxiety, most of the time, comes from some dirty-dark mind-stuff we are holding on to ; fears of all kinds, lack of self confidence, made up futuristic scenarios, sad and false sense of ourselves not being good, pretty, muscular, smart enough… etc. To get over that general sad hamster relentlessly spinning-in-its-wheel in our brain feeling, one of the fundamental key is to simply LET IT GO (sorry, now you'll probably have the Frozen song stuck in your head for a week... #letitgo). Easier said than done, believe me, I know.
Freeing your brain from all the unnecessary flies clouding your whole perspective on, well, everything, can sincerely be a life changing experience. One incredibly easy yet powerful way to do that is getting lost in nature, preferably by yourself. Not literally, of course, I wouldn’t want anyone to live the Castaway experience (RIP Wilson). I mean, spending alone time in nature. Going for a hike, exploring a beach, having a picnic in the forest, divert your usual jog route to pass in a park, kayak on a lake, are just a few of the countless possibilities mother nature has to offer. It doesn’t have to be the full camping-alone-in-the-wilderness plan, just a few minutes or hours will do it for sure.
Doing this alone will prevent you from giving more power to your stressful thoughts by talking, blabbing, rehashing, about it with another human. When you found the best wildlife exploring plan for you, go for it and while you’re in there, get out of your head. Observe everything around you, all the beauty surrounding you, be aware of all the magic there is in nature. And breathe. Maybe you’ll notice unexpected gems, beautiful vegetation, cute fauna or breathtaking view points. Just let nature take over you mind. Let your senses fill up with wilderness music, beauty, touch and smell. Notice how nature is much, much bigger than any of your little tiny flies circling in your stressed mind. And breathe.
Actually, spending time in nature is currently being scientifically proven, in many different studies, to have countless incredibly positive effects for us humans. Some of them, included in this amazing article on BBC.com, are :
Reduction of hypertension and respiratory disorders.
Enhancing vitality and general mood.
Increasing happiness, mindfulness and meaningfulness.
Decreasing anxiety.
Restoring mental fatigue.
And so on.
Not bad, right?
So, slip in your comfy sneakers and get out! Try it in a next time you feel a high stress level arising, and see what happens. And please, let me know where it's taking you!!
Hugs,
Andy L.
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