This year we have been looking at a number of ways to combine walking and being in nature to help us build resilience and cope better in our ever-changing world. Noticing what is going on in our natural world is a useful mindfulness technique and a great distraction from life’s challenges. So all the walks have had this and a theme incorporated.
We started in January, at a time of year when our bodies are under a lot of pressure from the cold weather and low light levels, looking at our routines or the “rhythms in our life”. We are generally inside more trying to keep warm and tend to feel less active, wanting to sleep more. We can see this reflected in nature too with some trees. They’ve shed their leaves and are conserving energy by not growing and may be described as resting. More rest is good for us too as our bodies are deprived of sunlight and vitamin D which helps boost our immune system and disease prevention, so we often get more colds and flu. The importance of adopting some positive regular practices, such as walking in nature, as much as we can, helps create a rhythm in our life. It’s especially helpful to get outside in the winter on a sunny day as light is a trigger in our circadian rhythm for alertness whilst darkness helps our body sleep. This alongside regular eating and sleeping patterns helps build the foundations of wellbeing and resilience.
In February we focused on “connections” in our life and how they play a crucial role in our wellbeing. Most notably in nature and hidden beneath the soil are mycelia or a network of mycorrhizal fungi, an ancient organism millions of years old. These fungi feed on dead leaves and break them down into nutrients. They connect with trees and share those nutrients with them. That connection allows established trees to give to others in need, and thus maintains the health of the whole forest. Learning from magical fungi we too can act as a “hub tree” and help others make connections. The more connections we all make, the more creativity and dynamic interactions can occur, helping the network and our ecosystem.
In March, as nature is beginning to spring back to life, we talked about the idea of having a purpose or “ikigai”. This is your reason for being and can be a number of things. It is an important factor in living a long life too. Having this purpose gives you the energy, motivation and enthusiasm to continue despite setbacks. In nature we see this clearly too – as birds stake out their territories with wings flapping and bird song, starting to build their nests. Insects and plants also, come into life in a carefully timed and interconnected way, with the aim of survival. As do trees, though they play the long game. As discussed previously, the odds of a Beech nut becoming a mature tree is around 1.8 million to one.
In April, we looked at “planning for positivity” by tuning into our own values in life to find what’s meaningful. If you can be someone that loves what they do and does what they love rather than following others’ expectations, your life will be richer, and you’ll be more resilient in challenging times. Living by your values means you’ll be more authentic and will naturally project confidence due to your enthusiasm, even when you don’t feel it. In terms of nature planning positively to meet its needs often there will be more than one way to achieve this.
For example, to obtain their most basic of need for water, a beech tree employs multiple water optimization strategies. It can cause its branches to droop, to redirect rainwater to the ground closer to its roots and it has lignin in its trunk to prevent it from drying out. It also has shallow roots in the fertile forest floor to catch the rain before it can be poached by other plants. Having a few options shows positive planning and helps living things in nature to adapt to a constantly changing world.
For May, as the weather warmed up we looked at the importance of “living flexibly” to maximise opportunities and growth. Our natural world has to live flexibly, to be able to grow and survive, taking advantage of its surroundings and responding as conditions change. When you go for a walk, you can discover all the different places that nature calls home. You can find trees growing and thriving in cracks in concrete, on cliff edges, waste ground and in water. You’ll even find shrubs growing in the branches of trees like the Christmas favourite mistletoe. Trees in fact provide millions of homes for different types of life. For example, an oak tree is home to 1000s of species of plant and animals. And if you sit quietly, you can observe each tree in a forest, as if it’s a city, with each creature having its own place within the whole. This is inspiring for us too, helping us to grow, encouraging us to shift our perspective, be flexible, see fresh opportunities and even consider moving to new pasture lands.
In June, we looked at “creativity” as a wonderful thing to help us adapt, build and be resilient. The very act of creating something or being creative is incredibly absorbing and can distract us from everyday worries especially if combined with fun or being with others who inspire us. Writing, painting, gardening, sewing, DIY and other hobbies allow us to use and express our imagination and a different part of our brain helping us to feel good. Being able to creatively respond to change is essential in nature especially for trees. As trees can’t move like we can, they must adapt to their surroundings in changing conditions either within their lifetime or over generations. In terms of adapting to change, the Siberian larch takes the prize for the most adaptable tree. It survives in locations that have temperature differences of up to 100 degrees centigrade. These deciduous conifers, which shed their leaves also have downward drooping limbs which help them shed snow. Many of them seasonally alter their biochemistry to make them more resistant to freezing. They grow 30 metres tall in southern Siberia. In northern latitudes, where sunlight comes from the side rather than above the narrow conical shape of the conifers maximises the amount of light falling on the trees. As part of the immense conifer forests of the world they represent the largest terrestrial carbon sink.
For July, we focussed on the importance to our well-being of “celebrating success.” Recognising what we achieve in life and rewarding ourselves helps boost dopamine which is a neurotransmitter made in our brain. It helps our mood, memory, movement, motivation, attention and more. The evolution of life itself is an incredible success. Over billions of years, nature has evolved an incredible diversity of life on earth, from simple bacteria to complex animals. Each flowering plant is a celebration of life too and new beginnings. It is a time for the plant to reproduce and spread its seeds, ensuring its survival. The migration of birds and animals is a testament to their resilience and adaptability as well. It is a way for them to move and find suitable habitats, food and mates and to avoid predators in an ever-changing world.
In August, we discussed the many ways that “sharing” can promote resilience. For example, sharing resources can help people to meet their basic needs, such as food, water, and shelter. A community that shares food is more likely to be able to weather a drought or other natural disaster. Similarly, a workplace that shares knowledge is more likely to be able to innovate and adapt to changes in the market. Plus, a family that shares meals and feelings is more likely to be able to cope with a difficult illness or other challenges in the family. Sharing is thus such a great tool to help build resilience, create stronger communities, and make the world a better place. Autumn harvest is a great time for getting together, sharing and a time of celebration for many cultures. In some countries, there are festivals and feasts to mark the occasion as crops are gathered in. In temperate climates, this is when many fruits and vegetables are ripe and ready to be picked. Some common autumn harvest crops include – apples, pears, plums, blackberries, pumpkins, corn and beets. It is also a time to reflect on the abundance of the earth and to give thanks for the food that we have. Being grateful is also a great way to boost our resilience.
The September Equinox, marks the beginning of Autumn in the northern hemisphere and “shifting seasons” with reduced temperatures and light levels which can have a significant impact on our mood and energy. These changes are a signal to animals and plants too. Photosynthesis is reduced in Autumn and leaves start losing their green colouring – chlorophyll, turning red, yellow and brown. According to Trees.com, when the light intensity and duration reduces as winter approaches, the plants put more emphasis on conserving energy and reducing growth. Animals too, become less active and many hibernate to conserve energy including hedgehogs, badgers, bats, bumblebees and some snakes in the UK.
Living in line with natural light levels is better for us too. Years ago, before electricity gave us artificial lighting, our ancestors went to bed earlier and rose with the light. As the light levels decrease this means there is less sunlight. As mentioned earlier, as well as sunlight containing vitamin D levels, sunlight crucially improves our mood and sleep. When sunlight enters the eyes, it triggers the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood. This also helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythms, which are responsible for regulating sleep – wake cycles, appetite and other physiological processes. Sunlight is stimulating so wakes us up and is good in the mornings to give us energy and enthusiasm for the day. A light which gradually comes on in the morning can be really helpful at waking us up. Whilst darkness helps us sleep. Dr Matthew Walker, a sleep expert, suggests that your body needs darkness to produce melatonin, which triggers the onset of sleep. He recommends considering reducing lighting several hours before you go to sleep, and certainly no later than one hour before. Also switching regular light bulbs to ones that filter out blue light can also help, plus reduced use of phones and laptops which have blue light, before bed. Sleep and good physical health is as important as mental health for resilience.
Lastly, we finished by considering “change”. Life is constantly changing and some of these changes are positive and some not. Our environment too is constantly changing, and these changes can be both natural or human induced. Natural changes include seasonal changes, such as the arrival of winter and geological changes, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Human-induced changes include deforestation, pollution, and climate change, which can have a significant impact on the environment and the living things that inhabit it. For example, deforestation, which involves cutting down trees, can lead to soil erosion, loss of habitats for animals and an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Pollution, in the air and water, can have a detrimental effect on the health of living things and the environment. Climate change, which is caused by the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, can lead to rising sea levels, more frequent extreme weather events and changes in the distribution of plant and animal species who have to move or migrate to adapt.
There are luckily some ways we can cope with change such as developing “strong roots” in friendships and a work network with close ties which are key to survival. Being around people who are positive rather than people who always seem to have problems and sap your energy, is more enjoyable and inspiring too. Also creating “buffer zones” or “windbreaks” to protect oneself from a hostile person or environment is also helpful. Other strategies are relaxation and mindfulness techniques. Also having a belief about accepting situations, which may be temporary, trying to find the positives and that change is normal and that some good comes with it, reduces the tension that comes with resisting change.
Over this year we have had regulars and new people join the walks and it’s been great to get to know everyone. I hope to run more walks next year in a different format.
By Katie James
Katie James runs a Walking for Wellness group in Bramley, Hampshire. The next walk is on Sunday 31st December. These are aimed at helping people build resilience by looking and learning from nature. If interested in coming along, please get in touch.