Pairing Nature Journaling and Being Outdoors for a Healthy Life
It’s easy to get weighed down by the woes of the world. Each day we are bombarded with news headlines that break our hearts and worry our minds.
But…we can reduce our stress, with its harmful rise in cortisol hormones, and increase our joy by pursuing healthy hobbies (like the car-driving rats below!) 🐭
That’s one of the reasons I teach nature journaling with its many profound benefits, especially when you pair this practice with being outdoors.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF HOBBIES
I’ve been delving into the research on this subject and it’s not surprising that 86% of women say being outdoors positively affects their mental and physical health.
I also read that 77% of women report increased mental wellbeing when pursuing their hobbies, which you may have experienced when attending one of my sketching classes.
And perhaps the most eye-opening statistic I discovered was that you can reduce your mortality risk by 29% when you engage in a regular practice of leisure activities (like nature journaling!)
But, let’s be honest. We all get busy and let daily life grind us down.
I’m equally guilty of ignoring my passions. In fact, truth be told, some weeks, the only time I create art is for my student tutorials and it makes me feel like a fraud. And many days I forget to study my Spanish (hablas espanol, mi amiga?), attend yoga class, or pick up my knitting yarn.
The most hopeful data I found was that actively pursuing hobbies, especially those using your hands, helps to stave off mental decline as we age. In fact, older adults who regularly engage in leisure activities have a 20% lower risk of dementia.
LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT BRAIN HEALTH FROM RATS!
You may have heard of the scientist who taught rats to drive miniature cars. Of course, it went viral on the web, but years before that, I was actually hired by this same neuroscientist, Dr. Kelly Lambert, to design her website, which I still maintain, and is what inspired me to get my own pet fancy rats, who I’ve had as constant companions for 15 years!
Dr. Lambert discovered that rats (as models of human behavior) decreased their stress hormones and lived healthier lives when engaged in hobbies, like driving cars! You can read much more about these positive findings on brain health on Kelly’s website that I designed.
IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH | JOIN MY CLUB
I may be biased, but joining my membership is a great way to improve your mental and physical health (see some testimonials for the Nature Notebook Club).
So, today’s biggest takeaway is, no matter if you join me inside the Club or not, please do yourself a favor and get off your phone, stop doom-scrolling on social, or watching the stress-inducing nightly news.
Just carve out at least 10 minutes a day and pick up your favorite hobby or go for a calming walk outdoors.
