Nature Connection As Essential Self-Care; making way for what you want

It may feel like the most impossible thing at first,  

Especially in winter, especially when things are hard.

But as you take steps to care for yourself each day,

you create a positive shift in your world.

In my 30s I started working out regularly, and feeling really good in my body. It all started at a point in my life when I was low. I was feeling weak, disempowered and suffering from low self-esteem.  I chose to dance at the local Y many times a week.  There were all kinds of dance classes at the Y. (You can read more about it here.)  I started with Cuban salsa on Tuesdays and it grew from there.  Eventually I focused in on African dances.  It was such a wake-up for my body and my spirit.  I began to see my worth as my capabilities grew in the practice of dance.  This seed of commitment to myself allowed for new possibilities. I finished my herbal therapist studies and opening an office in downtown Montreal to practice as an herbalist.  I made many new friends!  You know who you are! The things that were not in alignment with this new energy fell apart.  Where I chose myself, the Universe seemed to take notice and responded accordingly.  I truly believe my growth and luck resulted from my choice to make daily self-care and the joy found in dance at the Y a priority. I chose myself and this created so much goodness throughout my life.

Fast forward many years later and the opportunity for daily self-care arose again. This time I needed to handle the high anxiety I was experiencing early in the pandemic. I was a newly minted forest therapy guide who was not allowed to lead groups so I started an intentional daily practice of nature connection. This led to me feeling better and again, less anxious, allowing more goodness to flow into my life.  It also strengthened my connection to nature.  

Spending time in nature is as important as the habit of brushing your teeth. Yup, it’s that big!  It starts with slowing down and sensing.  There is always a surprise or two.  This helps one be present and release themselves from any repetitive thinking.  For myself, nature connection helps me feel into the moment, notice what is around me, outside of me, and also what’s going on inside of me.  I’m more aware of my emotions, and my feelings.  It allows me time and space to decide what I am going to do with my feelings and emotions.  I have ways of transmuting them and letting go of lower vibes like sadness and anger.  I’m able to raise my vibration on a daily basis through nature connection.

Nature connection allows for calm and my whole body, including my nervous system, relaxes.  I am better able to listen to my intuition and from there, I make better decisions from a place of greater knowing.  It helps me grow in my love for creativity through photography.  And probably most importantly, nature connection allows for reflection and meditation upon the fact that we are interconnected, we are not alone.  Our lives, including our problems, are within a beautiful and complex, often very positive, relationship to life larger than ourselves.  Nature connection allows for perspective.

Daily self-care is a vote for what really matters in your life – YOU. These daily votes help release the negative and allow for more of what you really want. Kinda like brushing your teeth! 🙂  Each day we practice nature connection, we have the opportunity for greater peace, connection, love, and happiness.  This opens things up for more of what you value, such as adventures, expression and the headspace to do what is really important to you.