Last month, I decided to participate in the 30×30 Nature Challenge organized by the David Suzuki Foundation, whose goal was to enjoy nature for at least 30 minutes a day throughout the As I mentioned in this article, even though I was aware of the beauty and benefits of nature around me, I didn’t enjoy it every day, and certainly not enough. Thanks to this eco-challenge, I organized myself to include nature breaks in my daily routine and for me, there is no doubt: observing nature should be part of our daily lives, just like eating and sleeping, as its benefits are numerous.
Contemplate the beauty of nature.e
To begin with, these nature breaks allowed me to take the time to look at the nature around me from new angles and to observe details that I had never paid so much attention to before: from the sounds of wildlife to small creatures wandering in the sand, to the patterns of the bark of a trunk. Although I went to places that I passed by regularly, I noticed particularities that had escaped me until then and allowed me to appreciate more the beauty and complexity of my environment.
Getting to know nature
By observing the fauna and flora more closely, I also realized that I was unable to name most of the wild species that live around me… Thus, these nature breaks can be very instructive and can teach us to know and understand the specificities and fragility of the ecosystems in the heart of which we live, to better protect them afterward.
Log out
At a time when some people make sure they are reachable day and night, by email or phone, we are rarely completely disconnected from others and new technologies. While not being able to be in contact with anyone can be a cause of stress for some, since I spend 24 hours without a computer or internet each week I appreciate these moments when I am more active, more creative, and more in tune with myself and not constantly distracted by what is happening elsewhere and on the web. Repeating this experience for a shorter period each day has done me just as much good.
Take a break
Just as we are often connected, we are always doing something: whether we are going somewhere, reading, working, or looking each moment of our day is usually filled with an activity with a very specific purpose. Spending time in nature allows us to give ourselves a real break from doing “nothing” except enjoying the present moment and being aware of the environment around us.
Recharge your batteries
Finally, these moments when we have no imperatives and no stressful distractions, are conducive to clearing our minds and refueling… Getting some fresh air, refueling with energy, and thus being able to return to our obligations and our activities more motivated and revitalized.
Unfortunately, depending on where we live, nature is more or less accessible. R Regrettably,t the evolution of our customs, our way of life, and our societies has taken us so far away from the very source of our life and the balance of our well-being. While in the past, human beings adapted to their environment to meet their needs, today, they adapt their environment to meet the priorities of their society and their time. Thus, not only are they moving away from nature, but at the same time, they are destroying it. Fortunately, consciences are awakening and many are those who, like Pierre Rabhi advocate a return to the Earth to put it back at the heart of our lives and decisions
But while we wait for each of us to one day be able to see, taste, breathe, touch, and hear nature all around us, I dare to hope that we all still have the possibility of sliding our fingers through a patch of greenery, of looking up at the sky to follow a flock of birds or of listening to the lapping of the water a few steps from home… Because nothing and no one can replace everything that nature brings us.
