Wellness Wednesday: Nature

May 16, 2018

Wellness Wednesday: Nature

For #wellnesswednesday I'm going to be talking about something I've created that represents what wellness means to me. I call it, "The Four Pillars of a Happy Life." The four things that I feel have positively impacted my health and wellbeing the most are: nature, nourishment, movement, and mindfulness. Today I'm going to be talking about nature. Here is a cute little graphic I created for instagram that I hope you enjoy.

So, on to today's topic, how nature has positively impacted my overall wellness.

I've always had a love of nature for as long as I can remember. It all started when I went to an environmental day camp as a child. Riverbend Environmental Education Center located just outside Philadelphia is such an amazing place if you or your child want to learn about the wonders of our natural ecosystem.

As I grew up, this connection started to wain. After high school, I attended a college in Pittsburgh where most of my daily sightings were gray skies and a lot of cement. I really should have done my research: I didn't realize that Pittsburgh was one of the rainiest cities in America before I went to school there!

Fast forward to 3 years ago, I had moved back to the Philadelphia suburbs and met a great guy who also had a love for nature. After a few dates, we were going on hikes together in the woods and bike rides by the river. I was so happy that he had rekindled my love of nature, because now I cannot live without it. Here are some tips I've learned on how to keep that love of nature alive, because it is so worth experiencing.

3 Ways to Bring More Nature Back into Your Life

1. Spruce up your instagram feed with some awe-inspiring accounts

Did you know just looking at pictures of nature can bring about a sense of relaxation and happiness? It can improve mental health if you are feeling stressed to see an image that inspires awe. Here are some of my favorite outdoor photography accounts:

@natgeoadventure - for your daily dose of daring nature photography by the best nature photographers in the world.

@nasa - to broaden your perspective of the universe and learn about new discoveries.

@project.vanlife - if you've ever wanted to rent a van and wander across the country, follow this account.

@earthspirit - this account will give you serious wanderlust with its breath-taking photos!

@michaeldectis - my boyfriend takes a lot of great nature photos from local hikes so I thought I'd also share his account with you. Above is a photograph he took.

2. Hit your local trails

Don't know of any good trails in your area and need a recommendation? AllTrails has over 60,000 trails along with topographic maps of their location. Perfect for beginners and seasoned veterans alike, just type in your location and it will instantly show you trails that are nearby, as well as how long they are, their level of difficulty, and hiker reviews. Don't have any nature-loving friends and don't want to go alone? Try going to an outdoor adventure Meetup where you can meet like-minded outdoorsy souls. Who knows, you might find your next adventure bud.

3. Love your park

Parks are great for having a picnic, throwing a frisbee, kicking a soccer ball, or simply a green space to take a break from life. Five below sells cheap sports equipment and outdoor games that can get you started. I have been really enjoying spending time in parks this spring, they are a lot of fun and a good stress reliever.