Discover these nine mindfulness practices to connect with nature’s source of mental goodness and experience countless benefits.

1. Barefoot Grounding

Grounding — also known as earthing and precisely what it sounds like — walking or standing barefoot on natural surfaces like sand, grass or stones. This simple practice helps balance your body’s electrical energy, reduces inflammation and offers other health benefits, including developing inner peace.

Spend a few minutes daily walking barefoot in your yard, at a park or beach. Even placing your feet on a natural surface like wood can help.

2. Ice Soak

Reset your nervous system and enter a calm state with a cold plunge. Cold water exposure increases circulation, boosts the immune system and reduces stress and anxiety levels by stimulating the vagus nerve.

Dip in a lake or river or fill a basin with ice water and submerge your hands and feet. Alternatively, hop in the shower with the water on cold.

3. Indoor Plants

Add potted plants to your study or living room to bring greenery into your home. Indoor plants improve the air quality and help combat stress by lowering blood pressure and managing pain. Watering plants or pruning them aids in reducing stress and anxiety levels.

Choose low-maintenance options like snake plants, pothos or succulents. Consider a small indoor herb garden for added sensory stimulation if you have space.

4. Forest Bathing

Immerse yourself in a forested area, letting the natural environment soak into you as you spend time among trees and shrubs. Instead of hiking and trying to cover a distance, forest bathing slows everything down, and you soak up the greenery around you. It’s renowned for creating inner peace and mental focus. 

Find a nearby park or wooded area and slowly stroll among the trees. Alternatively, if it’s too cold out, you can enjoy a forested environment at a garden center, which is insulated from sound by plants — as long as you pay attention to nature, the scent of plants and soil and the stillness of a planted environment.

5. Sunlight Exposure

The beauty and warmth of the sun and natural light are part of nature. Sunlight exposure aids overall health by helping the body produce 80% of all its vitamin D, which may prevent certain cancers. Spending time in the sun also elevates your mood and balances your circadian rhythm, helping you sleep better.

It sounds silly, but go outdoors and find a peaceful spot to sunbathe. Roll up your sleeves, wear a sun hat and relax for a few minutes.

6. Scented Showers

Take a shower with nature by adding fragrant branches to your morning routine. Collect some eucalyptus branches, tie them into a wreathe and hang this in your shower. The warm water will quickly release the fragrant scents, which help you produce and process more gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to alleviate depression.

Find a fragrant herb to add to your shower routine. Consider herbs like eucalyptus, rosemary, mint and lavender. Simply tie bunches and hang this where the steam can activate the oils.

7. Outdoor Exercise

Taking a run in nature is much better than a static routine on the treadmill at the gym. Running, walking or hiking requires concentration to keep your footing on unusual terrain, and when combined with sunlight, it triggers the brain to produce more serotonin, the happiness hormone.

Join a hiking or running group and make new friends, too. The companionship is also great for your mental health. 

8. Sensory Meditation

Start a sensory meditation in your home, backyard or a park. By deepening your awareness of your surroundings, you learn to distance yourself from inner conflict and discover peace. When you feel anxious or nervous, a sensory meditation is one of the best ways to distract yourself and reset your mental state.

Sit quietly under a tree or out in the sun. Close your eyes, inhale deeply for a few seconds, then exhale entirely before pausing and letting your mind reach out. Inhale gently and become aware of your surroundings. What do you smell, hear or feel? Notice bird sounds, plant scents and the sense of grass on your body.  

9. Digital Nature

If you live in an apartment, finding a natural spot to do some of the above activities can be challenging, but there’s still hope. Books, videos, and virtual reality can help you find nature in your home.

Reading about the outdoors and watching adventure movies connect you to the natural world and remind you of your roots. This can inspire mindfulness and curiosity, helping you refocus your attention and reset your mind.