How often do you remember the healing power of nature when you’re tired, instead of hitting the snooze button for ten more minutes?
I’ve been feeling a bit fatigued the past few days – travel has disrupted my routine, and I (like so many of us) am juggling many different responsibilities. I know I’m not alone, and I’m not looking for sympathy! But I’ve been noticing the physical toll it’s taking on me. I have a persistent low-grade headache, my mind feels foggy, and my right eye keeps twitching, inexplicably.
I was listening to a podcast the other day about mental health, and the speaker said something so obvious and yet so often deprioritized – that nature freely gives us the antidote for exhaustion and stress. Fresh air, trees, flowers, expansive views. (There’s actual research that proves how healing nature is for us, I just don’t have the citation at my fingertips.) I don’t know about you, but when I’m feeling tired, my tendency is to linger in bed a bit longer in the morning or watch an episode of Ozark in the evening. Yet from my bed or my sofa, I can hear the birds calling me, see the sunlit-dappled trees beckoning me, especially at this beautiful time of year.
This morning, I fought off the tendency to stay in bed for an extra hour and went for a long walk along the Thames. No music, no podcasts. Just me, the birds, and some beautiful views. It’s worked wonders for clearing my head and breathing new energy into my body. This week’s poem, by Kerry Hardie, perfectly captures everything I love about the month of May. If you are feeling sluggish or overwhelmed, see if you can get yourself outside, even if just for 5-10 minutes. If you don’t live near nature or a park, make a promise to yourself to get out this weekend somewhere. It can be hard to shake off those cobwebs, but ultimately, I suspect it will put your mind and heart at ease.
