How To Find Inner Peace In Nature And Be Happy

For many, meditation and prayer are a route to finding inner peace. For others, sitting quietly in a room devoid of distractions is the best way to achieve this state. I find inner peace in nature.

For many years, I had a job in public relations. It’s rated as one of the most stressful jobs in the annual “most stressful jobs” surveys.

For some time, my husband Frank and I escaped our daily work life by taking short day trips to explore conservation areas and provincial/national parks, hiking trails and other natural areas.

We love to keep active outdoors as much as possible – and there are numerous ways to be motivated to do so. 

We found that at this time we were the happiest. Not only because we got exercise and released endorphins, but also because we were away from busy city life, traffic and the overwhelming dominance of condominiums, subdivisions and industrial/retail spaces encroaching on our lives.

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Finding Inner Peace In Nature: Trails And Green Spaces

The wild outdoors is the best place to find inner peace in nature.

We’re lucky we live in Canada, where outside of major city centres there are many places to explore. Here are some tips to get you started!

• Choose to get outside on a sunny day. Vitamin D and warm sunshine on your face can work wonders in lifting your spirit.
• Go to places that have greenery – bushes, trees, grasses. Even on dull winter days, nature can be healing.
• If there’s a trail, walk it and then go home.
• Keep your distance from others. At least 2 metres (6 feet away).
• Avoid places with rocky or rooted trails that aren’t as safe as easy gravel or paved trails. You don’t want to be dealing with a break or sprain at this time.
• If parks are closed, obey the rules!
• When out with kids, keep them under control and make sure they know what’s OK and what’s not

In Your Garden

If you’re in your garden, always consider whether your neighbours are out. As many newer subdivisions have small backyards, try to head outside when you know your neighbours are indoors. They can be on the other side of your wooden slatted fence and get you potentially sick.

At home you have a bit more latitude as to how you get your dose of nature:

• Do yoga stretches on your grass
• Clean up the yard and do a bit of weeding
• Park your lawn chairs on the grass and if it’s warm enough, put your feet in the grass (it just feels good to be connected to the ground)
• For some exercise, do a circuit around your backyard perimeter

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The Active Way To Find Inner Peace In Nature

The easiest way to find inner peace in nature is to be in it! My body is soothed getting into a steady rhythm of walking along a trail, with the precise sound of footsteps like a metronome.

For non-musical types, this is a tool that helps sound out beats so you keep to a rhythm while playing music.

Similarly so, doctors and researchers have found that many heart surgery patients heal faster with meditation or prayer where similar words are repeated over and over again at certain beats per minute.

The steady rhythm of what you are saying aligns with your heartbeat, keeping it steady and allowing for better post-surgery recuperation.

Getting into a natural rhythm is a way to relax and balance your inner self. With few obstacles on natural hiking trails, you can achieve this rhythm fairly easily and quickly.

For some, trails in the woods are the best way to find inner peace in nature. Hiking or walking along trails also keeps your mind off of things that may be plaguing your everyday life.

As you are in beautiful, peaceful settings your eyes and mind are distracted from issues that dominate your thoughts.

This is why hiking is something that I, as an overworked mom, love doing on a regular basis.

Related: How To Stay Committed To Working Out: A 30 Day Fitness Challenge

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Natural Colours Soothe

Using our sense of sight, we can find inner peace in nature. The colours of nature are relaxing and pleasing. Consider the calming effect of the colour green, so dominant in grasses, plants, and trees.

Neutral browns, beiges, taupes, and sandy beige colours are also relaxing – this is why so many homes that have these colour schemes sell fast in comparison to those with garish bright colours.

Even a splash of colour in a sea of green can be pleasing to the eye and to the soul. Flowers and some weeds such as dandelions or wild chicory make us happy and content when we look at them.

It’s no wonder Instagram is full of beautiful landscapes and nature shots. Some of the top posts are using nature and outdoor hashtags.

| Related: How To Create A Sustainable Daily Routine That Makes A Difference

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Peaceful Sounds Relax The Mind

One of the easiest ways to find inner peace in nature is through the sounds of the natural world around us.

The sound of birds chirping. The rustle of wild grasses as a wind blows through them. The music wind makes when passing through pine trees. All of these sounds are so much easier on the brain than the noise of driving cars, groups of people talking and shouting and city life.

Even spending a bit of time on a farm is relaxing. The whinny of a horse or a low moo of a cow are a reminder that there is more to this world than the busy city.

Research has found that music reduces stress. For many, New Age music (think Dan Gibson’s Solitudes series, which I love!), which often features tracks of natural sounds such as animal sounds, “babbling brooks”, or waves hitting the shoreline, is the solution to relieving stress. Spas and yoga studios alike will use this type of music to set the atmosphere.

You can find peace in nature through music. How you can ask? Nature makes music! It’s good to take a moment to sit down on a log or by a stream and just listen.

Studies have shown that even looking at a photo of a natural setting can re-focus your mind.

QUESTION: How do find inner peace in nature? What is it about natural settings that appeal to you the most?

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