My motto in life has been simple always. Do what makes you happy. Be it helping elderly with groceries in my development or teaching skydiving. I have always been fascinated by the healing power of nature as well.

Whether it’s the fresh, dust-free air, the green vistas, or the scent of flowers, the fact is: nature is good for us. It lifts the mood, strengthens our immune system, and just makes us happy. The best part is that this effect can be achieved with a simple stroll through the forest.

Those who simply cannot afford to move to a natural paradise can help themselves by taking a walk, setting up house plants, or even a small garden.

What Doesn’t Grow, Dies

We are all here to grow and develop. At first, we grow physically and mentally, but as soon as our body reaches its potential, spiritual growth takes over.

Nature provides plenty of examples of what happens when a living thing stop growing and learning. It all comes to an end!

Many things can prevent a plant from growing – be it the lack of light, space, or water, it gradually wilts and dies.

These principles also apply to people that refuse to grow and improve, either mentally or spiritually, or to people who stop seeing a purpose in life. For example, when someone who has dedicated his entire life to work retires, or when a marriage partner dies after decades of.

Only when we develop further will we experience true joy and vitality, and that’s achievable at any age and any time!

Let Go of Things When the Time Comes

Every fall, we can see how most trees shed their leaves and let them fall down. They throw them off because their time has come to an end. They let them fall gratefully, but without melancholy, in the certainty that beautiful new leaves will grow in spring.

This routine is very present in our everyday life, but unlike trees, we don’t easily let things go. Death and separation are a part of our life and constantly recur, causing no small amounts of grief to people everywhere. The trick to being happier is realizing the benefits of things go when their time comes.

The secret is letting things go while being grateful for the time you spent with them and the time they spent in peace and happiness. Trust that only when you let go of something can something new and beautiful blossom in your life!

Stop Trying to Resist the Inevitable

Another lesson that can easily be observed in nature is that it allows things to run their course. Whenever there’s a storm, the trees sway back and forth following the wind, all the trees. Nature doesn’t resist external influences.

We, humans, tend to struggle when things don’t go our way, and we strive to live outside nature, to be above it. You can hear someone complaining every day about how they want more money, a better job, or a better body because we’re wired to look for the things that we don’t have.

It is very beneficial to accept and value the things you currently have in life because it can purge you of negative emotions. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should never strive to change something that can be improved but always keep in mind the cause and effect.  

There is something profoundly positive in any bad situation that happens to you, but it can take a while to see it. With trees, for example, when the storm inevitably subsides, it will have broken off some rotten branches that have been drawing unnecessary energy from it, and now the tree has more energy to spare.

Nature Teaches Us to Take Care of Our Body

When we look at the more technical benefits, the effects of nature on our body are undeniable. A drop in our cortisol (stress hormone), our heart rate, increased activity of our immune system, and countless other positives. Nature revitalizes and regenerates.

The mountain air is rejuvenating because it is much less polluted and toxic than the city air, riddled with smog. Whenever you’re taking a stroll through the woods, take the opportunity to fill your lungs with clean air. You can also practice small breathing exercises like square breathing. Inhale on four heartbeats, hold your breathing on the next four beats, and then slowly breathe out.

The primary reason for the deterioration of our physical health and bodies in the modern world is our disassociation from nature. Factory-processed foods and a sedentary lifestyle are detrimental to our health, whereas natural living and raw food necessitate physical activity. Clean living has been proven to directly affect the mood and happiness once the artificial blockages that we have grown used to, are removed.

Appreciate the Beauty in Simplicity

The one thing that gets overlooked more than any other is a simple beauty that nature provides. Almost any natural environment has plenty to offer for anyone who’s paying attention and willing to enjoy it.

“There are good reasons why people listen to the sound of rainfall when trying to fall asleep, or why movies have been using sunsets as a backdrop for emotional scenes,” says Brent Lott, “because there is an immediate association that’s universal and evokes a certain feeling.”

Learning how to enjoy everything that nature has to offer can become crucial in your quest for happiness and fulfilment. A regular walk through the woods can become a meditative experience that can function as a mental detox after a stressful day at work.