In case you might be suffering from Zoom fatigue; if you are experiencing social media overload; if you don’t want to hear another strategy, technique, exercise, etc. to make yourself feel better during this crazy time, the following might be for you.
 
There is a great deal of scientific study and empirical evidence linking all aspects of nature to improved mental, physical health and well being.  For example, the negative ions given off by  water falls or a body of water tends to improve our mood and lift our spirits.  Of course it is not always possible to be near lakes, streams, rivers, etc.  Green spaces can do just as much, if not more for us.  A walk in the park or woods or whatever part of nature you can find will also be calming and stress reducing
 
A practice that has grown in recent years is Forest Bathing or Forest Therapy.  It comes from the Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku, or taking a slow walk in the woods and absorbing the surroundings with all your senses.

The practice of forest bathing or just being in the presence of trees is proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce stress hormone production, boost the immune system, and improve overall feelings of well being.

If “bathing” in the forest is not viable,  there are still other aspects of nature we can access that will produce similar benefits.  Flowers are one.

According to lead researcher Nancy Etcoff, assistant clinical professor at Harvard Medical School, study participants who had fresh cut flowers in their home for less than a week had increased feelings of compassion and kindness for others.

Those who placed flowers in parts of their home where they spend most of their time reported feeling less negative and looked forward to seeing the blooms first thing in the morning.
 
Additionally, further studies showed people tended to have lower blood pressure and less anxiety.
 
Remember those tapes and CD’s of nature sounds?  Well, “In clinical studies, we have seen that 2 hours of nature sounds a day significantly reduce stress hormones up to 800% and activates 500 to 600 DNA segments known to be responsible for healing and repairing the body.” Dr. Joe Dispenza
 
If leaving your residence is not an option you don’t have to.  According to Rachel Kaplan, Dept. of Psychology at the University of Michigan, you can enjoy nature’s restorative effects sitting by a window, looking out at green space and  taking in the warmth of the sun.
 
Finally, it is a known fact that recalling positive experiences, recapturing the feelings that were part of the experience and savouring those good feelings can boost happiness.  Perhaps looking at photographs of nature and times spent in nature can give you  some moments of joy and calm as well.
 
Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come. - Chinese proverb

Comments are welcomed.

I seem to have hit a wall.  Maybe even 2 walls.  As I pondered the characteristics of these walls, I wondered about the origin of that idiom.    I learned that hitting a brick wall and hitting a wall are both used, but there is an historical difference.  Hitting a brick wall appeared in the language several centuries ago.  Essentially, it meant literally coming up against a brick wall and unable to go further.  Full stop.  Hitting a wall referred to athletes who might run out of steam and temporarily hit a wall , then would gather a second wind and continue their run .    As is the way with most things, people have used whichever phrase suits them in the moment.  
 
I am going with just hitting a wall, or two.  No brick here.  The 2 walls may actually be one wall with variations on a theme.  However poetic I may wax on this wall, the bottom line is I am stuck.  The 2 areas of stickiness are a dearth of both creativity and human connection.  Sound familiar?.  The question becomes how to get that second wind.
 
Here's  my remedy.  The first thing was not to get down on myself. When we find ourselves going through rough patches, we need to exercise self compassion.  We are experiencing a moment of suffering which is a part of life.  Suffering is part of our humanity.  We need to be kind to ourselves in these moments and treat ourselves as we would a dear friend or loved one.
 
When we give ourselves the compassion we need, it is like taking a big breath with a big exhale.  We are more likely to relax and accept those moments.  Acceptance will help us to evolve through the rough spot and gain that second wind.
 
Back to the first person.  The next piece is what would I do with my second wind.  The thing I decided not to do was make myself nutty with all the options that were opening up before me.  I wrote down a few ideas, put them in a container and selected one.  Whether I liked my selection or not was irrelevant.  The point was to make a choice and get started.  The easiest and quickest way to complete something, whatever it may be, is to just begin.  
 
That’s what I did.  As for the wall?  Well, it came tumbling down.  I didn’t even have to blow a trumpet to make it happen.  
 
We don’t come up against these walls just so we have something to bang our heads against.    They are more existential in nature.  They actually illuminate our challenges, our dreams, our hopes.  We are presented with choices and opportunities for how we want to show up in our lives going forward.  there is always another side to the story.  So maybe these walls are gifts rather than mere frustrations.  What do you think?

Comments are welcomed.

A few years ago my daughter, granddaughter and I took a trip to a crafts store.  We were looking for some Halloween decorations.  K, my granddaughter, and I wandered around on our own.  K found a bin full of tiaras.  K selected 2 of them.  One for her and one for me.  These two tiaras would have made the most princessy of princesses envious.  They were made of 14 carat plastic, embedded with brilliantly colored fake gem stones and plumed with fashionably flamboyyant faux feathers.  Who wouldn’t want one of those?  My granddaughter and I proudly wore our tiaras around the store until my daughter concluded her shopping.  When I returned home, I put my tiara in a drawer and forgot about it.
 
One day I had found myself in a rather grumpy mood.  After clunking around the apartment for a few hours, I happened upon that tiara.  I put it on.  Suddenly, as if by magic, my mood changed.  I was smiling, even chuckling, as I did some chores. 
 
Fast forward to the present.  I was in a crummy mood feeling rather pandemic-ish.  Suddenly, amidst my negative thoughts, I remembered the tiara.  Could it still have any magic left after being stashed away in a dark drawer for a few years?  Only way to find out – try it on.  Amazingly, the magic was still there!    My crummy mood and rumination were replaced with lots of smiles.
 
Here’s the thing.  Continuous research  shows that humor and laughter promote good health and well being.  As a matter of fact, this is rather ancient news.  Aulus Cornelius Celsus was a Roman encyclopedist early in the 1st century.  The only surviving volume of the encyclopedia is his medical treatise called De Medicina.  One of the passages from this work talks about humor, exercise and proper diet to combat ill health.
 
There have been numerous philosophers, psychologists and physicians throughout the centuries who talk about the importance of play and humor.  Thomas Sydenham, a 17th century physician said, “The arrival of a good clown exercises more beneficial influence upon the health of a town than twenty asses laden with drugs.”  The Mayo Clinic has a terrific report on stress relief through laughter.
 
The point is that It’s an opportunity to be creative, to play, to be light-hearted, be our own sit com.  What makes you smile?  What brings you joy?  I really believe we all need a tiara.  Maybe yours looks like a clown nose or a Star Wars outfit or whatever amuses you.  Whatever style ‘tiara’ you choose will be good for your health and well being.
 
We are living in extraordinary times.  Some days are more stressful and difficult to get through than others.  Perhaps engaging in something out of the box, something silly that makes us smile or laugh in spite of everything going on, might ease us through those difficult days.

Comments are welcomed.