That exhaustion you’re feeling, that almost frantic energy buzzing around you, is your nervous system telling you it’s time to pause.
One of the simplest things you can do is get outside and be in nature. For this week’s joy experience, I’m taking you into the forest for a forest bathing walk, and I’ll be your guide. Walk with me in the video, then use the steps below on your own walk.
Let the Trees Work for You
As you walk, the trees are quietly working for you. They release natural compounds called phytoncides into the air, and as you breathe them in, they help soothe your nervous system. One psychiatrist I follow describes walking in nature as being like medication for your nervous system, with effects that can last well beyond the walk itself.
How to Forest Bathe
- Find a tree that’s calling you. Put your hand on it. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and take a slow breath.
- Listen. The birds, the wind moving through the leaves. Breathe in and notice what you smell. Let your body slow down.
- Go off the path. Explore. Look down. Pick up a leaf and study its structure.
- Sit for a while. Lean against a tree, close your eyes and let yourself feel grounded.
Notice What You Usually Walk Past
When you stop to notice, you start seeing things you would have missed if you were just walking by. On this walk I found wild mushrooms growing on an old fallen branch. I walk there every day and had never noticed them before.
Sometimes nature mirrors what you’re going through. I came to a fork in the road, and it reminded me that sometimes you simply have to pause and ask which way is right for you.
Bring Your Worries With You, Then Let Them Go
If something is weighing on you, bring it into the stillness. Ask yourself: what is possible here? What can I do to make this better? How can I ease this worry? Let the answers come up on their own. Be grateful for what you feel and hear, and then release it.
This isn’t about rushing through a walk or getting your steps in. It’s about pressing pause on the outside world and feeling good inside. And what’s beautiful is that your body is restoring itself, even while your mind thinks you’re just walking.
Your Joy Invitation
This week, take a walk somewhere green, even if it’s only a park or a tree-lined street. Slow down, touch a tree, go off the path and notice one thing you’ve never seen before.
Because at the heart of it all, you matter, you are loved, and you deserve to reconnect with yourself through nature. For more joy experiences, subscribe to At the Heart of It All with Pierrette on YouTube.
