There are so many memories from our recent trip to Namibia that I will cherish but one of the main things that sticks out for me is how it provided me with the space to re-connect with nature and to myself. Sometimes we would drive for hours in near silence, without seeing many other cars, which meant we could really take in the landscape and notice any wildlife in their natural environment. I noticed that while in this state of simply observing I felt completely peaceful and when I reflect on this, I recognise it’s because I felt connected to the world around me without all the usual things that might block this ability at home.
“Nature is not a place you visit. It is home.” – Gary Snyder
Of course there was a level of anxiety at times, I think this is natural for many of us when visiting completely unfamiliar places. As my partner Andy was driving, my responsibility was to make sure he had the information he needed to get us to where we were headed and find places to rest when necessary. As I didn’t have any of the normal “life stuff” bombarding me, I was able to experience moments of complete peace alongside any apprehension I was also feeling. When we are dealing with the aforementioned “life stuff” during our normal day-to-day we tend to spend more time in the anxious or stressed state, which makes it harder to experience moments of peace like I did while away. And this is what, over time, can cause us to disconnect with our environment.
Disconnection (from ourselves and our environment) usually comes from spending too much time in our heads – worrying about something that may not have happened yet, constantly planning, achieving and pushing, as well as receiving too much information that we can’t really do anything about, through our phones and 24 hour news cycles. We also live in a world where we can expect to order something and it turn up the next day and, as useful as this can be, it has also created a sense of urgency. If something doesn’t happen as and when we expect it to, it can send us spiralling and this lack of perspective can be one of the symptoms of being disconnected. I was given food for thought about this when watching a local Namibian tribe demonstrate their tool making skills. It was so apparent how connected and engaged they were with the natural resources around them and how important community is for passing on and continuing these skills. I’m sure lots of you will understand what I mean when I say that the western world’s need for convenience has played a part in creating this disconnect which we may experience.
Many of us spend a lot of time in a heightened sense of stress which then leads to exhaustion, depression, self-criticism, and lack of interest in things that, if we weren’t feeling this way, might bring us joy.
Recognising that we may be living in a state of disconnection is the first step, but re-connecting isn’t always a simple process. I can remember times when I would take my little dog, Alfie out for a walk in the beautiful Somerset countryside with the intention to calm my nervous system, but finding that even during the walk I still felt stressed. I couldn’t feel present because my head was filled with things that I felt I should be doing in that time. In fact, I think it’s important to acknowledge that sometimes this kind of space can feel uncomfortable which can then lead us to avoid it and fill our time with things that keep us busy, rather than risk feeling our feelings. It becomes a vicious cycle of always feeling stressed and disconnected but not feeling able to do what is needed to be able to experience moments of peace that in turn enable us to re-connect.
“Sometimes, it’s okay to disconnect from the world to connect with yourself” – Credited by both Midset-social.com and Charmkmosley!
So, how can we break this cycle? If you are familiar with my ethos, it will not surprise you that I firmly believe that the only way out of this sense of disconnect and into feeling more like your authentic self again is to allow yourself to acknowledge your feelings! This can only happen when you allow yourself to step away from whatever you are ruminating on. I always find that being in nature is the most beneficial way to do this as it provides things that we can notice, engage with and appreciate simply for what they are. In my experience being in nature and in the presence of animals can also make us more aware of our feelings and body sensations.
The good news is, you don’t have to go to Africa, or some other distant location to do this, any green space can have a similar effect and finding regular time, even if just for 20 minutes, to be there and notice the environment will help bring you back to yourself. At first you may find that you have to be intentional with this by setting yourself little mindfulness exercises (for example, you could try counting how many different colours you can see in the leaves of the trees or watching ripples in a body of water get bigger until they disappear) but the more you do this, the more you will find that these observations start to come naturally. And once you can step out of that head space of constant rumination you will notice that you are less likely to make assumptions about the world around you and instead, you will find yourself naturally curious. In other words, your brain will stop running away with itself, allowing you the space to just be present with your surroundings.
“Nature is one of the most underutilised treasures in life. It has the power to unburden hearts and reconnect to that inner place of peace” – Janice Anderson
Another exercise that will allow you to feel your feelings is to notice how you are impacted by the environment. For example, how does the weather make you feel? Does your breathing change as you move? What physical sensations do you notice when you see birds darting in and out of the hedgerow or when you stop to observe horses grazing in a field? And when you tap into your body in this way, do you notice that the noise in your head seems a little quieter than usual? Do you feel better when you sit on a bench and let yourself be still while observing the nature around you or do you prefer to by physically active and moving? There is no right or wrong response here but do be careful not to overthink what you are observing as this will cause you to fall back into that cycle of rumination. It doesn’t matter whether you know what kind of tree you are looking at or what species of bird is singing at the time, in that moment you are not required to prove yourself in any way.
And, if you find yourself out in nature but still thinking about other things, acknowledge that. Noticing that your attention is on your thoughts and what your patterns of thought are at the time is another way to bring you back to being present.
Visiting new places can help us reconnect with the curious nature of our authentic self because when we are somewhere unfamiliar, we tend to notice more. Without realising it we often become blind to things in our surroundings simply because they are familiar to us! This is why holidays, such as my one in Namibia, or even just going for a walk in an area completely new to us, can provide so many more opportunities to reconnect than we might get on our usual daily commutes, which is one of the reasons why we can feel more rested and fulfilled when we are away.
While I personally find being in nature one of the best ways to reconnect with our selves there are several other ways that we can do this. Energy work such as yoga, meditation and exercise can help, as can creative outlets such as cooking, reading, drawing or writing. All these help us to be present which is the key for authenticity.
Clients who come to my workshops or work with me on a 121 basis often express that they feel they have lost the connection with who they are and with their environment. The aim of my work is to provide the space for you to just be and recognise how you are feeling without the constant bombardment of everything else that may be going on in your life. If you would like to explore the different ways you can work with me, please take a look around my website or get in touch – rosie@rosiewithey.co.uk
“Go back to nature and reconnect with your true self”
