Nature play has so many benefits for children but what about us adults? When I am surrounded by nature I feel calmer, my mind clears and my body relaxes.
My mood changes when I am in nature and I have a relaxed state of mind. I don’t even realise that I feel stressed yet I can feel my body relax, the tightness around my chest and shoulders disappears. My body relaxes and I finally I feel like I can breathe.
I have come up with a list of things you can do when you are in nature to help you feel better. Help you feel calmer and relaxed, even if it is just a a few minutes.
Go for a bush walk
You will be busy taking in your surroundings while you are bush walking that you will hardly notice that you are exercising. It teaches you to be present, in the moment and feel connected to the natural environment. Plus all that fresh air you breath in is good for the lungs.
Go Bare Foot
Kick off your shoes and let your feet feel the earth. It may even mean just walking bare foot on the grass or down the beach. Walking bare food helps you to feel grounded, connects you to nature, it is also know to reduce stress and anxiety. So what are you waiting for, set those piggies free!
Open Fire
There is nothing like sitting around an open fire to help you relax. Feeling the warmth of the fire and watching the flames flicker. It is also know as bush telly and it is so true you can just watch the fire for hours. Leave technology behind and connect with others by having a good old chat around the open fire.
Floating
When I go into the ocean I just float. Lay on my back with the salt water keeping me buoyant, feeling weightless. All I can hear is the waves crashing and the water lapping against my body. In that moment I feel peaceful, my mind is not racing, just noticing my surroundings. No cares in the world, just being at one with the ocean.
This is my meditation, being in a deep state of relaxation and shutting out the world.
Camping
Get right away from everything and go camping. There is something about camping on the beach and going to sleep listening to the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. Camp in the bush, wake to the sound of the Australian bush with magpies and kookaburras singing their tune. Peer out of the tent and see the sun glistening through the trees.
Get away for a few days without any external distractions and let nature improve your mood.
These are my 5 ideas to help you feel good in nature. Do you have any to add to the list?
Let Me Be Free 
I love all the ideas you’ve listed!! My favourite is definitely the bush walk but I do enjoy doing also the other things! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Lisa | http://www.fromdreamtoplan.net/
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Bush walking would have to be my favourite as well.
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Nature wins absolutely as a stress release. Love all of these. Wouldn’t it be perfect to live by the ocean. I also love creating outdoors. Sitting with my art pad and drawing or painting. Or just watching my kids play outdoors. Nothing better than watching them interact with nature.
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Totally agree nature is the best stress release. I am sure you must find drawing and painting relaxing too. My 4 year old can draw better than me!
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Lovely post Anne – we all need a nature fix now & then. Your ideas remind me that I’m due a trip to the beach.
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I hope you get to the beach soon!
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How I’d love to get a way for a few days to the beach. Your beautiful pics are making me drool. I have a magnificent Redgum Forest with a walking track around and through it just up the road. I haven’t visited there for a while (been damn cold) but think I need to pay the calm there a visit. Lovely post. x
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Oh I would love to have a forest near me, I would be there all the time!
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Fab photos!
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I love all your ideas and was only on the phone booking our summer camping trip in the Foreshore National Park. Roll on Summer so I can kick of my shoes and hang out in nature.
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So beautiful! I’ve never appreciated floating in the ocean but as soon as summer comes around it will be the first thing I do!
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I hope it warms up soon so we can hit the beach!
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Great ideas, the first four are my favourite but I might have to pass on the camping, unless of course, it involves camping in a hotel room 🙂
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4 out of 5 is not too bad!
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I need to do so many of these things. I find the beach so theraputic but can never seem to find the time to get there.
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I need my ocean fix on a regular basis!
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I love the beach! I am with Sammie the camping for me really needs to involve a hotel room (even glamping at the end of the day is just camping off the ground in most cases!) Though if Lane Cove National Park or Paperback Camp in Huskisson want to give me a night away to review their facilities I will do it again!
But seriously we live 5min walk from the beach and I love opening the window at night and hearing the waves crash and smelling the salty night air when the weather is right!
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That sounds amazing to hear the waves crashing from your house.
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I love all these ideas!!! Taking time in nature fixes everything!
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Nature sure is a good fix!
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That is a lovely reminder for us all and I have more ‘free’ time now in my life of retirement than I ever dreamed of but I still need to get outside and relax too! Lucky I can do that without many hindrances.
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I hope you do get outside more often in your free time!
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These are all excellent ideas for relaxing in nature. There is nothing nicer than a barefoot walk on a soft sandy beach wading in the shallows of the water. I find it very invigorating.
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Nothing like dipping your toes in the water!
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I love going barefoot too and I am itching to go for a bushwalk soon up the coast!
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I have ti agree about relaxing in nature. ….nothing quite like it! Great suggestions. We have no bush here but plenty of Pacific Ocean. Headed there this weekend! Love camping and winter camping in the desert is my favorite-especially Death Valley- although we have some marvelous places within a half day drive like Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Beach camping is tricky as reservations required but we did get a night on the California coast at Big Sur earlier this summer. Unplugging is the best! !
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I have to agree with you about floating. My grandfather taught me to float when I was a tiny thing and I have loved doing it ever since. I swim at the local pool a couple of times a week and I always finish of with a long float. The perfect way to end a swimming session. Strangle, my partner can’t float. He’s never been taught. So, maybe next year, after he retires, I can teach hm to float and enjoy the magic.
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totally agree. I like to try and use as many senses as possible when out in nature- listen to the waves or the leaves rustle, feel the sun/wind, smell the dirt/plants/salt etc
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We love geocaching to get us out about.
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Found your blog/website through my favorite site over at youngadventuress. Great post and great site, saved you to my favorites!
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