What Nature Taught Me About Wellbeing

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When I returned from Nevis, I felt refreshed and had a renewed sense of purpose.

I didn't realise how much I needed that break until I returned.

Don't get me wrong. The troubles, fears and challenges were still there, but I was able to put them into perspective. I returned with a clearer sense of direction and felt more grounded in myself.

I returned in November. The cold days, dark nights and grey skies soon started to take their toll. Slowly, I began to feel myself sinking again. This time, though, I decided to reflect a little further.

What was missing?

What had changed?

I missed my parents, of course, but there was something more. I missed my closeness to nature. I've always loved scenic views. There is something about being surrounded by natural beauty that makes me pause. I slow down, take a breath and take in what is around me. For a moment, I am simply present.

I realised how much I had missed that. So, in the middle of winter, I decided to start walking. And that's when I discovered a little treasure right on my doorstep.

Imagine living somewhere for over 20 years and not knowing it existed. Just a short distance from my home was a little wooded area with a waterfall and a lake. I had been living there for years without knowing what was practically on my doorstep. I started walking there regularly.

A little further along the path, I discovered another nature area that led me towards Merrion Woods. It was beautiful. There was something about being surrounded by trees that gave me energy. My anxious moments seemed to soften into moments of calm. Walking gave me space to think, but it also gave me space to simply be. And I began to understand what I had been missing. The scenery was part of it, but so was the opportunity to pause.

The fresh air.

Being outdoors.

Noticing the seasons change.

Feeling connected to something beyond myself.

Then I decided to take it a little further. I started hiking with my family. I don't think we always realise the hidden beauty that exists within England's landscapes. Dovedale, Bamford Edge and Lud's Church are just a few of the places we've explored. Every time we go somewhere new, I'm reminded of how much beauty there is around us.

These experiences became about much more than seeing beautiful scenery.

They became family time. We walk, we talk and we check in with each other. Sometimes the conversations are serious. Sometimes they're completely ridiculous. Sometimes we don't need to talk at all. We're simply together. Hiking became a way of connecting, reflecting and spending time together. I could feel the difference as soon as I got home. My body might have been aching, but mentally I felt lighter. Every ache was worth it.

The more I thought about it, the more I wondered what it is about nature that can have such a positive impact on our wellbeing.

What does nature give us?

When we think about wellbeing, we often focus on the things we need to do.

Improve our mindset.

Become more resilient.

Manage stress.

Achieve more.

But sometimes wellbeing begins with something much simpler.

Connection.

Being in nature reminds us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. We live in a world where many of us spend increasing amounts of time indoors, looking at screens, moving between work, responsibilities and home. We can become so caught up in everyday life that we stop noticing the world around us.

Nature gives us an opportunity to slow down. It doesn't rush. Trees grow through seasons. Flowers bloom and fade. Landscapes change. There is a rhythm to nature that can teach us something about our own lives.

Growth takes time.

Rest is part of the process.

Change is inevitable.

And not every season is supposed to look the same.

For me, being in nature has also created a space for reflection. A walk can become more than exercise. It can become a chance to ask:

What am I carrying that I no longer need?

What has changed in my life?

What season am I currently experiencing?

What do I need right now?

Awareness

Nature also brings awareness.

When you're walking through woodland, standing beside a waterfall or looking across a landscape, you begin to notice things you might normally miss.

The sound of the water.

The movement of the trees.

The changing colours.

The feel of the ground beneath your feet.

The warmth of the sun when it finally appears.

And as you become more aware of what is happening around you, perhaps you also become more aware of what is happening within you.

There is something else I have come to appreciate. My worries and challenges are still there when I leave the woods or come down from a hike. What nature gives me is the space to step back from them. It gives me time to breathe, reflect and see things from a different perspective. That has become an important part of my wellbeing.

Sometimes we look for wellbeing in programmes, apps, treatments, routines and things we can buy. There are certainly times when these things can be useful.

But there are also things around us that can support our wellbeing every day.

A walk.

A tree.

A view.

A conversation.

A place where we can breathe.

Our Environment

Our wellbeing is also shaped by the environments we live, work and spend time in. Our surroundings can influence whether we feel connected or isolated, energised or drained, calm or overwhelmed.

That is why access to nature matters. Natural spaces can provide opportunities for movement, reflection, connection, creativity and community.

And perhaps that is what I had been missing when I returned from Nevis.

I had experienced the warmth, the scenery, the fresh air and the slower pace of life. Coming home brought me back into the everyday routine, and I hadn't realised how much I had come to value those simple things. Finding nature on my doorstep gave me some of that back.

It gave me somewhere to walk.

Somewhere to think.

Somewhere to breathe.

Somewhere to connect with my family.

Somewhere to simply notice what was around me.

I thought I was simply going for a walk. What I actually found was a way of reconnecting with myself, with my family and with the world around me.

And all of this was sitting right on my doorstep. For over 20 years. Sometimes we don't need to look very far to find what we need. We just need to slow down enough to notice it.