On an icy winter day, we are connecting with visitors to the bird feeder outside the kitchen window today.
Within moments of beginning my walk around the grounds of the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley this morning, I began to experience that wonderful feeling of peace and calmness that washes over me me when I’m out in nature. Whenever I begin to feel stressed, overwhelmed, quick to anger, or anxious, I’ve learned the best thing for me to do is head outside. It doesn’t really matter what I do there. It could be a hike in nature, a walk around my neighborhood, photographing flowers at a botanic garden, doing a bit of yard work, or simply staring out the back window, watching the birds at our feeder. Science is finally beginning to back up what I’ve always known… that time in nature improves mental health. Studies have found that…
- spending time in nature increases happiness.
- walking in nature fights depression.
- time in nature improves the ability to concentrate.
- exposure…
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Outdoor Living in New England 