7 days ago
1 Simple Shift To Restore Your Inner Balance — By A Psychologist
Your 9-5 grind may be leaving you more exhausted than you realize. In a life of endless deadlines ... More and meetings, here's what you need to do to feel more invigorated.
As we go through life today, many of us feel entirely cut off from the natural world. We work in brightly lit air-conditioned office cubicles that might feel too hot or too cold. Sometimes, the only time we even think of nature on a random workday is when we're complaining about the weather and how difficult it was to commute to work, perhaps because of the rain.
Maybe at lunchtime, you even remember that you forgot to water your plant again. You wonder, would it survive another day? You shrug and go about yours, mostly unbothered. After all, you can always buy another houseplant.
The problem, of course, isn't that we forget to care for our plants. It's that we're so cut off from the natural world that we don't 'feel' for it as much anymore. We tend not to think of nature as a living, breathing entity in the way we think of humanity.
Instead of thinking beyond ourselves, we hustle and grind and try to squeeze in more work, staying glued to our screens in the limited time of day we have.
We want to thrive, but we forget how deeply tied our survival and well-being is to nature. One way to get past this disconnection is by building a sense of 'nature connectedness.'
Nature connectedness refers to how close or emotionally attached a person feels to nature. It's feeling that nature is a part of who you are, something you feel 'one' with.
Not only does this connection recharge us and ease screen fatigue, but it also reminds us why caring for nature matters in the first place.
Why Does Nature Connectedness Matter?
Our environment plays a huge role in how close we feel to nature. It can feel especially difficult to forge that connection later on in life, if we've only grown up seeing apartments and high-rises.
Societal factors like wealth, urbanization and consumerism can weaken nature connectedness. Even our cultural and familial attitudes can shape our relationship with and access to nature.
For instance, a 2020 study published in The International Journal of Ecopsychology explains how, from an Australian Aboriginal standpoint, nature connectedness is viewed as the balance of all living things — linked by kinship relationships between people, country and ancestors. Living in harmony with this connection also means following certain values like respect, responsibility and giving back.
This is a mindset we can all benefit from, especially in light of the current climate crisis. Our connection to nature strongly indicates how well we care for ourselves and our environment.
It's also well-established that contact with nature can enhance our mental health and strengthen community ties. For instance, a 2024 study published in Scientific Reports found that people who visit public greenspaces often had lower stress, anxiety and depression scores.
How Do You Start Building Stronger Ties To Nature?
1. Have meaningful contact. Spend quality time with nature, just like you would with another person. Breathe in forest air, listen to the birds and animals that thrive in any ecosystem and observe the greenery around you mindfully.
You can start with activities such as nature walks, birdwatching or simply just going to the park for a stroll. Techniques like mindful walking and meditation in the outdoors can help you have meaningful contact with nature. It's not about the quantity of time you spend in nature, but the quality of your engagement with it.
2. Invoke positive emotions, especially awe and gratitude. Not all positive feelings work the same way. Self-transcendent emotions such as awe, gratitude and inspiration tend to have the strongest link with nature connectedness. Journaling is a deeply reflective way to capture these feelings.
Imagine finishing a hike, reaching the top of a mountain and taking in the view of the entire city beyond. How would you feel then?
Being connected with nature expands our sense of self. We remember that we're part of something much bigger than ourselves, and that we have a finite amount of time to experience it.
Additionally, the 2020 study on Aboriginal knowledge systems also distinguishes between two types of a sense of self:
Nature connectedness can help us cultivate an interrelated sense of self. This sense of connection makes people more mindful of how their actions impact others, as well as the world around them.
For example, in times of conflict, a sense of interconnectedness can help us pause and carefully choose words that dissipate tension, instead of pushing for our beliefs irrespective of how others feel.
It can also help us tune into subtle emotional cues in our surroundings. For instance, if someone senses that a friend is uncomfortable in a social setting, they may step in to offer support without their friend having to say anything.
So, after a stressful day, seek out a quiet park or beach to let the natural sounds and sights calm your mind. Walking barefoot on grass, listening to ocean waves or watching sunset are some other activities that can help you realign your inner state with the natural world.
As we restore our sense of inner peace, we begin to overcome our apathy toward the destruction of nature or our lack of access to it. The more time we spend in nature, the more invigorated and recharged we're likely to be.
Given the daily anxieties we face in our lives, turning off our phones, laptops and TVs to explore and experience nature can make us feel alive again in a way not much else can.
How connected do you feel to the natural world? Take the science-backed Connectedness To Nature Scale to find out.
