Laying in the grass on a beautiful sunny day, and listening to nature is one of my favorite downtimes. Over the years, I have now taken as much time out to enjoy Mother Nature. I allowed the phrase “I’m busy” to get in the way of taking time out of a peaceful atmosphere. What’s crazy is most people have neglected the peace that is found in simply being outdoors. The hustle and bustle of everyday life and the abundance of technology have trapped us all indoors. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love being indoors d in my blanket with my eyes glued to my phone, usually about five inches from my face. However, I noticed my mood dramatically changes when I bring that comfort outside. Plus, when I found out that it’s scientific proof that being outside changes your mood, I immediately said “say no more,” and found myself outside on the regular. The sun glistening on my skin along with a perfect breeze always makes me feel like I have to care I'm the world.
I know, I know this sounds overly dramatic, but that’s how I feel. Now, I’ve always been someone who enjoyed going to a park or a beautiful trail, however, I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that the pandemic triggered me to be outside on my own property. Pre-pandemic I never saw a reason just to chill in my own yard. It was boring to me. Honestly, I believe this is how a good chunk of people felt during this time. Not being able to go out regularly taught me, and many others, how to create our own fun at home. Some people bought pools and fire pits, while others started some type of DIY project. I didn’t have the funds for all of that, so I started a garden. As a child, I had farmer aspirations and this is the closest I got to that childhood dream. Connecting to the Earth, and seeing butterflies and bees attracted to my outdoor space felt like absolute paradise. The time I was spending indoors was taking away from the connection I had with nature. After regaining that connection back, I knew it was something that I did not want to slip away again. I started to see the effects of daily sunshine on my mood, especially after being depressed for a long time. Now, I am not saying chilling outdoors will cure depression, however, when I stepped out of my dark space into more sunshine my mind seemed to be more clear. Being able to let others know how simply being in nature made me feel will hopefully encourage others to get outdoors to enjoy the world.
Originally when I wrote this post, it was meant to be for Earth Day. As much as I love the beauty of the holiday, I realized it would be better to post this on a regular day. Most Earth Day posts are too preachy and put shame on the average person. I do believe that we all could make a difference for the betterment of our planet, but I refuse to shame the people that also make this planet great. Also, I won't show that even on a regular day, love and appreciation for our home can be done any day. This appreciation can be shown by spending time outdoors, picking up trash, or even reusing old items such as an old body butter jar. Simple acts like this will easily change your mood and help our home
Much Love,
Kendra 💋