Hello, this is a new idea in addition to my weekly nature diary - regular nudges to connect with nature, whether things to do, notice or how to make that connection deeper. Some of you may already get daily doses of nature, so there will also be ideas to help you add in some creativity or notice even more when you are out.
I needed my own nudge this week, a great big kick up the … to get outside. I knew I needed it, I knew it would help me feel better, and it did.
So…
Two things for you to try.
Firstly, get outside, into the biggest patch of nature you can manage, even if that’s a park, or looking up at a tree in the street. I went to the nearby community orchard. Just breathe in the fresh air, spend a few minutes in the company of nature. The air may be cold, but wrap up warm, maybe even take a flask. If you can, find somewhere to sit for a few moments. Let your mind be still for a moment, your eyes rest on something green rather than grey.
Secondly, when you are going about your day, going to work, or picking the children up from school, listen out for the birds. Winter is a quieter time for the birds, with only a few still singing and summer migrants yet to return. But they are out there and it doesn’t matter if you don’t know what they are. Walking the dog in the fog today it felt like I was totally alone until a heard a flock of something fly over, I couldn’t tell what they were other than small, but their calls lifted my spirits. The more you listen, the more you will hear. And if you start noticing them now, as we move towards spring, more will join them and you’ll have another indicator that light and warmth is coming.
Enjoy.
I like a 'nudge from nature', time in nature can be a solution to our need to slow down and connect. But also looking after the natural environment is priority number one for our long term survival. You'd almost think we are part of nature...