Have you ever stopped to admire the beauty of a delicate spiderweb lined with dew? Or the bright yellow of the first daffodil of the year? What about stopping to listen to the silvery song of a robin on your way home?
Scientists are increasingly studying the beneficial effects that nature can have on us, especially for improving wellbeing and mental health. If you’ve found yourself stopping to appreciate nature then you’ve probably felt these benefits for yourself already.
Infact, the University of Derby have a dedicated Nature Connectedness Research Group who lead on this area of research in the UK. They have found that there are 5 ways you can increase your connection to nature, these are:
Senses
Exploring and experiencing nature through all your senses.
Examples: Listening to birdsong, smelling wildflowers, watching the breeze in the trees, walking barefoot on grass, tasting the fruits of nature.
Beauty
Seeking out and appreciating the beauty of the natural world.
Examples: Create some wild art from natural materials, paint the amazing colours of insects, take a photo of a flower, visit a place with an amazing view.
Emotion
Noticing and welcoming the feelings that nature inspires in you.
Examples: Finding joy in wildlife, taking a moment to feel calm in a natural space, finding wonder, taking photos of beautiful flowers, sharing your feelings about nature with others.
Meaning
Celebrating and sharing nature’s events and stories.
Examples: Celebrate the longest day, the first swallow of the summer or the first fall of leaves, make a nature or seasonal playlist, learn about the folklore of trees.
Compassion
Helping and caring for nature.
Examples: Feed the birds, plant some wildflowers, take part in a beach clean or litter picking your local park, dig a pond, put up a nest box, buy eco-friendly products.
Autumn is a fantastic time for getting into the habit of noticing nature and appreciating it, because Autumn is so colourful and the trees and landscape are changing around us everyday! When was the last time you felt the smoothness of an acorn, or played conkers? You could make crayon rubbings of different leaf shapes or look out for Autumn migratory birds like redwing. The list is endless!
I hope this post has inspired you to get outside and enjoy nature.
You can find out more about Nature Connectedness research from the University of Derby here: https://www.derby.ac.uk/research/centres-groups/nature-connectedness-research-group/
