A nature-based exercise to help you de-stress and ground you in the moment

This exercise invites you to step outside into nature and spend 4-5 minutes (or longer if you wish) in the ‘here and now’. Being fully in the present moment puts a stop to those anxious and stressed feelings for a while at least; anxiety anticipates things that you worry or are convinced might happen at some point in the coming hours, days, weeks or even years. Experiencing the world through your 5 senses allows you to anchor yourself in the moment where your worries and concerns live only in an imagined future.

So take a moment to tune in to your senses. What can you see? What are you hearing? Are you drawn to touch anything you see? Can you smell or even taste anything as you stand there or slowly move around? Spend a few minutes noticing and savouring what you’re experiencing. Soak it all up, enjoy the moment.

Now stop for a moment, close your eyes and tune in to what is happening in your body, heart and mind. You may notice that what you’ve just experienced through your senses sparks memories and images, often positive ones. What emotions and feelings are evoked for you and how do you experience them? Stay with them - give them space, and enjoy them.

Now move on to your body. Are there any parts of your body where you’re holding tension or pain? Are there any areas that feel warm or cool, energised or numb, tingling or stifled? How is your breathing: is it fast and shallow or slow and deep? Is there any part of you that has an impulse to move? What do you need to do to ease any discomfort? Stretch, wriggle, jump up and down, get a glass of water? Enjoy the exploration.

To finish, find a word or words that sums up your experience of the exercise. Perhaps you are reminded of a particular song. Slowly open your eyes and give yourself a butterfly hug (crossing your arms around your upper body and stroking your arms). Gently return to the physical world around you.

Congratulate yourself for allowing your body, heart and mind to take a mini-break from stress. If you are someone who journals, spend a few moments recording your experience with words and/or mark making (using colours, shapes, maybe images) to reflect how you felt and are feeling right now.

Tomorrow you can try it all over again. If you do, do you notice any differences in your experiences this time?

The more you do this exercise, the more you will learn about yourself and what is important for you. And you will gain the benefit of keeping the anxieties at bay, at least for a while.