I was thinking about the guest speaker we had last week for our Middle School students and parents. She was able to give the students some very practical ways to manage stress, from breathing techniques, to self-monitoring, to exercise, to going outside. A few of the students seemed doubtful about the effects of going outside and wondered if it could really make a difference. Well, I can tell you, it does.  

 

In The 3-Day Effect by Florence Williams, she takes people out into nature and hooks them up to monitoring equipment and tests hormone levels and other things. The results were quite striking. When in nature for 3 days, the body and mind have a dramatic, measurable improvement. And if this is not enough proof for the skeptical middle school student, it worked for me this last weekend. I went to Yosemite National Park for the 3-day weekend and had terrible cell reception. It was AWESOME! We hiked all over the park, felt the crisp air on our faces, went out under the amazing starry sky looking for meteors, walked by deer and mountain quail, and managed to avoid a bear walking the other way. I could genuinely feel an expanding sense of lightness, freshness, and peace.  

 

Now if you are stressed at home helping your child who is in the middle of a difficult homework assignment, I can see that Yosemite might be a bit out of range to solve that immediate need. But a walk around the block with the cell phone put away might still help. On your walk listen for the birds, crickets, or coyotes. I even heard from one of the kindergarten students about an owl they heard on a recent walk. You never know what might be around if you are listening to nature. And you never know how much you might need that walk to bring down the stress level. Coming back to a difficult task after a break in nature gives you a chance to start fresh and increases creativity, patience, and resilience. Try it! 

 

 

Patrons will be acknowledged in the eCourier and signage by the transportation area.