Five easy ways to stay connected with nature
It’s inevitable that as the days get shorter and colder we spend less time outside. This can lead to a feeling of disconnection or in some cases seasonal affective disorder. But there are surprisingly easy ways to get your nature fix at this time of year. We show you some of our favourites in our top five easy ways to stay connected with nature.
Get to know your leaves
Make a date with the Sun. Any number of apps will tell you the times of sunrise and sunset wherever you are. Make a date to spend five or ten minutes at Sunrise and Sunset just watching the changes as the crepuscular light edges in and later slips away. Even if you’re stuck inside you can still watch it from a window. Fixed points in the day where you slow down your body and mind will leave you feeling more relaxed, and by coordinating with the Sun you connect with nature in a very primal way.
Lunchtime walks. It sounds obvious but get out when you can!! Make a conscious effort to leave the office / home / workplace during your lunchtime and take a short walk.
Ask the four questions. Whenever you get a chance to be outside, ask yourself the four important questions: What can I see? What can I hear? What can I smell? What can I feel? Take your time with each sense and allow nature to come to you. By focusing on our senses we discover autumnal magic that often goes unnoticed.
Turn over a new leaf. We tend to walk past leaves in a hurry, often in an effort to get out of the cold or so we’re not late for a meeting / club / school pick up etc. But leaves are so beautiful at this time of year. How many leaves can you recognise? Most people know Oak, Sycamore and Horse Chestnut but what about Alder, Dogwood, Black Locust and Hornbeam? Make an effort to learn which trees the leaves you find came from? For a handy starters guide to leaf identification keep an eye out for our next blog.
Join like-minded people on a Nature Escape. There really is no substitute for immersing yourself in nature for a full weekend. At Nature Escapes we offer fabulous weekends in the most beautiful surroundings. We’ll take care of all the accommodation, activities, cooking and entertaining, so you can relax and reconnect with nature. To see our events visit our events page here.