The average child spends 5 to 6 minutes outside. That’s less than someone who is incarcerated. For adults, we see something similar, with days poured into office chairs and couch cushions, chained in place by the flickering of a screen.
We are becoming an indoor species.
And that lack of connection and disconnect between nature and between who we are is profound.
When we live with that disconnect for years and years – as many of us have – our mental health suffers. We don’t feel the same. We don’t feel that we matter. We move so far from the present moment that we lose sight of how much agency we have in our lives. We hand the pen for our story over to social media companies and advertising agencies, giving them control over how we feel and how we think and we believe for ourselves.
No matter how you might feel at this exact moment, know that you do matter.
You matter.
Step away from your screen. Go for a walk in the sun. Start building mindfulness habits by being fully present in that experience. Something as simple as a walk around the block is full of experiences: sights, sounds, smells. The feel of the sidewalk beneath your feet and the way a breeze rustles your hair. Notice your breath coming in and out of your lungs.
Really be present. You may be surprised how powerful a few brief minutes can become, and if you continue to build Habits of Health, you can make each minute of your life that powerful.