Seven steps to happiness part 5 – go au naturel

It may be a bit frosty still, but this week we’re going au naturel outside in pursuit of happiness. Thankfully though, we’re not suggesting that you strip off in public – but just that you get in touch with nature.

Over the past few weeks, Katie Phillips from Daring & Mighty has been sharing some simple but effective ways we can learn how to get out of our heads, and back in touch with our bodies again. This week she explains why we need to escape from behind our screens and get outside.

Go au naturel

Getting out into nature is so grounding and really does help to clear your head. The feeling of the sun on my face and the wind in my hair makes me feel that I am part of a much bigger picture, and that everything that is going on in my head is not the be all and end all.

Being in nature makes me feel small and yet significant, if that makes sense? I feel like my physical presence is but a tiny cog in a massive wheel, and it’s a good thing and a relief to fee. It’s liberating to let go of ego, to stop feeling that everything is all about you, and just be.

Sometimes we all need to remember that we’re a spirit in a body, not the other way around, and to feel held by a far more powerful force – unconditional love.

Try it for yourself

You may be thinking, ‘Wow! She get’s all that from a bit of fresh air…!?’ Well, yes, I do. Truly! So try it. Go for a walk or just sit in the garden, look up at the sky, notice your surroundings – the grass, plants, birds – and consider how significant you feel.

I challenge you not to feel part of something larger and more important than what is going on in your head. If you don’t have that experience, then just allow the fresh air to fill your lungs and rejuvenate you. At the very least, some deep breaths outdoors will most certainly free up your head-space somewhat.

I spent today behind a computer, working under extreme deadline pressures. It wasn’t pleasant and I physically felt pretty rubbish as a result. But the second I stepped outside, took some deep breaths and noticed my surroundings I felt so much better. The long to-do list in my head instantly melted away as I connected again to what is important in life, and I felt excited at the thought of getting home to my son, and knowing that we will spend a good chunk of the weekend outdoors doing all sorts of fun stuff. Bring it on!

By Katie Phillips from Daring & Mighty.