You have to understand something: nature is our home. All these houses, offices, cafes, school rooms—every structure in which we spend most of our lives—is a departure from what we expect on a biological level. And when we avoid nature, our health suffers.
But today I’m not talking about the rich and measurable benefits of spending time in nature. I’m giving you an idea of how to get back to nature: How to spend time in nature and make the most of your limited time in the great outdoors.
It doesn’t have to be a complicated endeavor. Getting into nature doesn’t mean driving into the middle of nowhere or going to a National Park. Nature exists almost everywhere around us. You can even find nature in a city park. So go find a place that feels a bit wild—a place with fresh air, greenery, a natural body of water, dirt and rocks and moss. And then…
Smell everything
Trees and other plants communicate with each other using volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. We can smell them too. When you walk through a forest or grassy meadow, breathe deeply through your nose. You’re smelling the chatter of trees, leaves, grasses, and shrubs. You’re also availing yourself of the considerable health benefits of smelling tree-borne VOCs.
Touch everything
Feel the texture of tree bark and smoothness of the leaves. Grab soil and rub it between your fingers. Slap a big rock with your open palm. Sift through sand. There’s no real “point” to touching everything, no measurable health effects. It’s simply a way to engage another of your senses, and it contributes to a richer experience out in nature.
Go barefoot or wear minimalist shoes
Going barefoot or wearing minimalist shoes improves your connection to the environment. There are thousands of nerve endings in your feet; cutting them off diminishes the experience. Connecting to the earth with your bare skin, or grounding, has real health benefits.
Climb
Seek out trees and boulders that are climbable, and climb them. Be safe, of course. Only climb what you can comfortably descend. Avoid relying on dead branches and those that are narrower than your wrist. Don’t go higher than you should.
Imagine the history
Ponder the names of the trails, parks, and monuments you’re exploring. Think about who else trod the same paths as you are now. How many hunters, lovers, adventurers, explorers stopped at the same rock to rest? How much laughter rang through these trees?
Go in the water
Splash around in the river. Take a dip in the lake or pond. If you’re near the coast, hop in the ocean. Whatever water you see, get a little (or a lot) wet.
Play
Bound from rock to rock. Pick a target and throw rocks at it until you hit it three times in a row. Try to catch crawdads or lizards. Think like a kid—a big strong kid—and do what a kid would do to have fun.
The primary theme running through my advice about nature experiences is to experience it. Feel, smell, touch, see, and do as much nature as you possibly can. Really give your body the sense that you are in nature and of nature. That’s how you’re going to return home to our ancestral, biological constant, even if it’s only for an hour or two a week.
