Why Your Well-being is Connected With Spirituality and Nature

When it comes to school and college it can be difficult to stay focused and calm. Some 85% of U.S. students said they felt overwhelmed at some point during a school year, while 30% said stress had negatively affected their academic performance.

When it all gets too much, we all have our ways of coping, but one option, is to get outside in one of the many beautiful spots around Milwaukee and across Wisconsin. If you’re in the mood for something really different, try just sitting and breathing! It may sound a little different from what you were expecting, or perhaps a little old-school, but it really can help with study-related stress or balancing assignments, friends, family, and any part-time job you might have.

Soothing spirituality

When some people talk about spirituality, they mean religion. But, the dictionary definition of spirituality is “the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.”

So, while it can relate to religion, it doesn’t have to. Spirituality in this instance, is about taking time for yourself, away from the demands of everyday life and centering your thoughts and feelings toward the inner self. Finding time to become more spiritual can help stop you from worrying about a million things at once, like how you’re going to fit all your responsibilities into one day or week. It also helps you focus on the here and now and hopefully, enjoy things as you’re doing them without thinking about what comes next, or what could go wrong.

Nature can increase the benefits of spirituality with nature

While you can meditate, think calm thoughts and breathe deeply in the comfort of your own home, it can have an even stronger effect when you do this outside. It can be in your garden, or you can take a trip to your favorite forest or park.

The reason meditating outside can be more effective, is that nature helps to calm us naturally. A study of patients undergoing gallbladder surgery showed that half of the patients who had a view of trees coped with the pain and discomfort better than the other half, who had a view of a wall.

Of course, most people reading this aren’t about to undergo gallbladder surgery, but you get the idea. Even just a view of nature is beneficial to our mind set and general well-being. So, make sure to seek out a good spot outside in nature to help you find calm and a peace of mind. However, if it’s miserable out and you need to take the time to clear your head, a good spot by a window overlooking a garden, some trees or even some plants, will be beneficial.

Or, if you want to explore Milwaukee and find a new favorite outdoor spot, you could try:

 

  •     Three Bridges Park
  •     Jacobus Park
  •     Jackson Park
  •     Oak Leaf Trail

Finding time to become more spiritual in a natural setting is good for your health and well-being. You’ll also likely discover it’s good for your studies too!