Taking a break from a Conference Centers Directors meeting in North Carolina, I went walking on a trail through the woods of the retreat center. The wind blew red and yellow leaves on the path and whistled through the branches. I took deep breaths, big sighs and slowed down from all the content (and very good content, at that) and entered into the breeze and colors. Ah.
A University of Rochester study in 2009 said, paying attention to the natural world not only makes you feel better, it makes you behave better. “Stopping to experience our natural surrounding can have social as well as personal benefits.” While we know that being outside can lift our mood and lower stress, researchers reported that it can also lead us to value community and close relationships and to be more generous with money.
Somehow, being in nature reconnects us to the holy and to one another. We are influenced by our environments in surprising ways. Can you go for a walk today? You will feel better and the world will look better. Can’t get outside? Bring a plant or natural object inside. And don’t forget to breathe deep and treat one another with kindness.
