3 Ways to De-stress on your Doorstep

Are you juggling dealing with something that's making you feel overwhelmed and overloaded?

Let's focus on 3 natural ways to de-stress on your doorstep.

Green Space

A daily dose of green space can really boost our health - and fast.

We hear of this all the time don't we, but do we 'really' add it into our 'Creative Healing Toolkit?' 

Green Space doesn't mean you have to move to the forest or the heart of the country, grounding amongst grass and being side by side to trees is enough.

According to Matthew White, environmental psychologist, "just looking at green space lowers stress hormones and increases calming alpha waves in the brain."

So when was the last time you made a detour to take in some green space?

When did you stop and take yourself out to a local park, your garden, a small cove of trees?

Having a dog gives us an excuse to get access to green space - but what about getting access for yourself - at your pace, during your own timetable, without rushing?

How about going somewhere different rather than the same park or the same route.

We came across this term the other day called Forest Bathing - this is the Japanese inspired practice of woodland walking but with science and research behind it - Trees give off a protective chemical thought to lower blood pressure and reduce stress.  

Interestingly Walk and Talk Therapy (counselling therapy and walking) is becoming more and more popular around the world. 

Walk and Talk Therapy - you can read some of the benefits here in 'Taking Therapy Off The Couch'

Counsellors and psychotherapists who instead of seeing patients in a traditional office setting, combine walking with psychotherapy.  

"It's very similar to traditional psychotherapy," one counsellor says, "except you are walking while you are talking about issues. I have found that bringing a little bit of movement enriches the counselling session. My clients are intrigued by the idea and are naturally drawn to being outside."

So here are my 3 Ways to De-stress on your Doorstep.

1.  Find a local park that you have never been to and go there.

Plant your feet in the grass.  

No mobile phones allowed - take a book, a cup of tea and sit for 15 minutes.  

If you'd like to walk barefoot in the grass, do it.

2.  If finding time is a problem right now, then how about detouring to work via a different greener route, is that possible?  Is there a park along the way that you could stop by and sit for 3 minutes to watch the leaves on the trees?   If you can park near trees, lower down your window, close your eyes and absorb in their neutralising chemicals.   Take 10 minutes out of your lunch time, before work, or after work to detour via a local park. 

3.  Find or Create a Walking Group - friendship, walking and green space is a gorgeous mix, why not seek out, or create a walking group of your own.