Feeling down or stressed? Discover how a simple walk in nature, surrounded by spring flowers and sunshine, became my best remedy for shaking off depression and improving my mental health.
I woke up today feeling pretty low. My energy was drained from not sleeping well, and I was in a bit of a funk. Over the past few days, I've noticed I've been extra irritable, which usually means my depression is kicking in. But I've learned over time that feeling depressed now and then is just a natural part of life, like the internal version of weather; some days are simply cloudy.
As I've grown older and gotten to know myself better, I've discovered there's no better medicine for shaking off the "black dog" than taking a walk in the woods. Today's walk proved that yet again.
We spent most of our time taking pictures of the different flowers and plants that caught our attention. My son taught me something new: you can use your phone to identify plants just by taking a picture. We saw plenty of signs that Spring had arrived:
beautiful Virginia Bluebells
Virginia Spring Beauties
Yellow Trout Lilies
Toadshade
Lesser Celandine
Yellow Violets
Cutleaf Toothworts
Fawn Lilies
Eastern Redbuds
By the time we returned to the car, it felt like I'd left a huge weight behind in the woods. I'm grateful to nature for always being a comforting break from the stress of everyday life.
On my September 23 walk, the forest announced its changes loud and clear — walnuts thudding down in a mast year, mosquitoes in last-call mode, pawpaw perfume gone, and late-blooming smartweed still holding on. These abundance signals remind me that the woods don’t whisper their shifts; they proclaim them.
Some months feel like steps backward. Sales dip, streaks stall, and losses pile up. Gratitude and process are what keep me steady — even in the hard times.
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