Nature and Happiness

Happiness is such an intriguing concept. It’s free and easy to attain and yet we struggle day in day out to be happier. You may have a roof over your head, your finances may be sorted, you may even have found the love of your life and yet you may still be unhappy.

So how do you find happiness?

There are many ways to find happiness but one of my favourites is nature. The best thing about nature is that not only is it good for your soul but it’s also good for your physical health. And it’s free!

When I refer to nature, I mean being outdoors.

 

 

I love being outdoors. Whether it is hiking through the mountains, walking by a stream or just walking in my local woods, being amongst trees and nature seems to reset my mind.

I genuinely feel that nature is linked to happiness because I always feel happier once I’ve been outdoors.

I don’t know whether my happiness is to do the with the five reasons outlined below, or whether nature/the sun/the microbiota have something to do with cleansing the mind.

Every day, for about 30-60 minutes, I go for a walk in the woods. I do this for the five reasons below, which in turn increase my happiness.

 

For Inspiration

Being an entrepreneur is never an easy task. There’s always another challenge down the road. You’ve constantly got to think outside the box and find new ways of building a business. I’ve always found that being outside amongst nature gets my creative juices flowing, allowing me to dream up new ideas. Some of the best ideas I’ve had for growing my businesses have come to me when I was out walking amongst the woods.

Somehow, being away from it all ends my procrastination, helps me focus on the important points and I don’t have to try too hard. Infact, I’m not even really thinking about it. It’s as though my subconscious mind suddenly has all the fuel it needs to laser focus on a specific idea and visualise how to improve the business.

I may work for 8 hours a day at my computer and not know how to go forward, but just a few minutes of walking outside provides solutions which I completely overlooked.

Knowing how to move forward (not being stuck) fuels my sense of purpose and makes me happier.

You may also be inspired in many ways whether it is to do with your business or even your job. You may find new creative ways of doing things at work that simplifies the process for you.

 

Walking through my troubles

Life has its ups and downs and I feel that we should not ignore something that’s making us unhappy. I cherish my walks because this is my alone time during which I can go through my thoughts and figure out what is bothering me.

If I’m feeling unhappy and I know why I’m feeling unhappy, getting away from it all allows my mind to focus on the problem. My mind analyses the issue at hand and I walk through it logically until I feel better or I’ve found a solution.

Perhaps, you may not even realise that something is bothering you and that’s why you are unhappy. Taking a walk helps takes your thoughts inwards, focusing on your feelings and making you aware that something’s not ok. This is the first step to finding happiness.

Sometimes taking a walk makes you realise it’s not even that big a deal to begin with. I always feel happier once I’ve had a walk – it’s almost like a therapy session with the trees.

 

Calming the mind

Did you know that on average we have between 60,000-80,000 thoughts a day? Whoa! I was shocked when I came across that figure as well.

Can you imagine what your brain must be going through to have those many thoughts in a day? Can you imagine how much energy, both physical and mental, must be consumed in processing those many thoughts?

Getting outdoors in nature helps calm my mind and definitely slows down my thought process. Ofcourse, I still keep thinking but at a much slower rate than I would if I were not amongst nature.

Sometimes, I make an active effort to stop thinking once I’m outdoors and to appreciate nature. It relaxes my mind.

When I have the time, I visit new places so that my mind is pre-occupied with the newness of the natural beauty. This way, I do not have to focus on dialling down my thoughts.

My mind always feels lighter and more relaxed after such a walk. It’s almost like meditating while walking. This in turn makes me happier.

 

Gaining perspective

When I feel over-whelmed, I take a walk. Just being out amongst the trees really helps. It makes me realise that there is so much more out there that’s much bigger than me.

Most times, I get engrossed in the natural beauty, whether it’s the trees or the flowers or the birds and it makes me realise that the world is a wonderful place and life is too short to be dwelling on things that don’t matter/things that will pass with time.

This most definitely makes me happier.

 

Exercise

Taking a walk in nature is also a great way to get in that exercise without being stuck in a room with four walls with nothing to look at (a gym).

The body does need physical movement daily to stay in good shape. Our body was not built to stay still, we were built to be on the move.

Getting in that exercise, no matter how light, always helps me feel healthier and happier.

 

Nature and Happiness

Perhaps these five reasons above may also help you feel happier when you are outdoors. You do not need to walk everyday but atleast try to get an hour a week to get away from it all.

So the next time you are feeling blue, don’t worry. Just grab your jacket and head out to your local park for a free therapy session 🙂