Connect with Nature

Late last week, very early in the morning, my attention was on the clock as I got ready for the day ahead. Sounds familiar, right?

I began the day on my way to a conference, and my focus was on getting to my destination. There was a sense of urgency in that moment. I hopped in the car and set the navigator. While I was still in the driveway, I looked up. There in the clear pre-dawn sky was the waning gibbous moon. The connection with nature shifted my thoughts from the future to the present. I felt myself smile and relax as I admired the beauty of the morning sky.

The beauty of the sky was a gift to be enjoyed in that moment. And it took just a moment to notice the beauty of the moon and to be grateful for the moment.

Connecting with nature can help each of us shift perspective in a healthy way. We can consciously choose to focus our thoughts on our natural surroundings and on our relationship to the natural world. Connecting to nature has been shown to be helpful in managing stress. Consider taking just a moment today to enjoy the beauty of nature.