LIVING Self-Care

We’re glad you’re here for the 21-day self-care challenge!

With the rising availability of electronic entertainment in our homes, we are spending less and less time outdoors. Yet numerous studies have established that time spent in nature does fuel well-being. Outdoor time reduces stress, improves mood, enhances immune function, and increases our connection with a sense of purpose in life.

Immerse yourself in nature for fifteen minutes today. Soak up sunshine– or the wind. Go for a hike. Watch the sun rise—or set. Listen to the birds. Gaze at a tree. Breathe it all in! If you can’t get outside, find stunning views of nature on your computer, the TV, or in a book. Change your screen saver or wallpaper, or the template on your browser. Research shows that pictures of nature stimulate brain activity much like being outdoors.

Here’s today’s mantra: “The healing power of nature is here for me to claim.”

Copyright © 2010 by Ann Dunnewold and Diane Sanford, authors of Life Will Never Be The Same: The Real Mom's Postpartum Survival Guide.