Break Outta That Cage
Un-domesticate yourself for better health and happiness
Ready for the vocab word of the week? There’s this term called zoochosis. It’s the psychological decline some animals suffer when they’re taken out of the wild and put in a cage. Well, guess what? The same thing can happen to us humans. We’re also meant to roam in the wild from time to time. And the four walls we live in can start closing in without us even noticing.
So, I’ve compiled a big pile o’ tips for how to get more nature in your life… including inside your indoor space. So, get busy and un-domesticate yourself for better health and happiness.
Set an Intention for “Wild Time”
Our modern lives are busy, of course, with lots of demands placed on our time and attention. But I fully believe that if you start by focusing on finding and appreciating the natural world around you, you’ll begin to see small ways to create more “wild time” in your life.
Here are some tips for starting small (and thinking creatively) about how you can appreciate the natural world at home, at work, or online — and even indoors, in a windowless room. I’ll also outline some tips for planning larger outings to connect with the restorative power of the great outdoors.
Daily Ways to Connect with Nature
Consider your daily environment and engage with the wildness of the natural world that’s within your reach.
Step outside for nature breaks. Take a few moments to notice the feeling of the sun (or rain) on your face. Take in the sensations of a cool breeze, the sound of birdsong or air moving through the trees, the scent of rain on wet pavement. Focus attention on the trees and flowers immediately around you. And then pan back to think about how they’re connected to the greater landscape around you.
Sit on your stoop
Watch the sunset from a rooftop
See the sunrise
Look for shooting stars
Have a backyard or container garden? Take a few minutes to tend the plants.
Not able to step outside? Take a moment each day to appreciate your house plants. They’re living creatures that beautify your world and purify the air you breathe. Talk to them and offer your thanks. They’ll love it, and you will, too.
Appreciate the creatures in your life. We often think of our pets as little people. But take a moment to see the wildness that’s inside them. And, while you’re at it, the people in your life are creatures of nature, too.
Turn a room into an environmentally enriched space. Look for ways to bring nature indoors…or to add items that remind you of the natural world. Some examples:
Bring it inside.
Plants, plants, plants
In addition to straight-up houseplants, consider creating your own mini-nature scene by making a terrarium.
Paintings of awe-inspiring nature scenes
Nature sounds (many phone apps and YouTube channels exist for this, and many white noise machines feature nature sounds, too)
A small fountain = water
Rocks and stones = earth
Candles = fire
Open windows and a fresh breeze = air
An aquarium
Natural colors, natural light
Aromatherapy
Read nature and environmental poetry/literature (e.g., Mary Oliver, Walt Whitman, Edward Abbey)
Turn on a nature documentary and let the sights and sounds fill your space
Follow nature-focused social media feeds
Take it to the yard.
Cookout in the backyard
Watch a movie in your backyard
Start a garden or add some potted plants on the patio
Weekly Ways to Connect with Nature: Explore Something New
Park that car and walk a little farther than you usually do. Take time to notice the sensory riches of your environment. Check out a new neighborhood. Take your dog for an extra-long walk. Check out a local farmers market.
Stop and smell the roses. Literally.
Feel the wind on your face
Listen to the birds
Find the end of a rainbow
Explore a local park.
Connect with the trees, the grass, the sounds, and the scents. Take a nap in the grass or enjoy a picnic. Read a book under a tree. Dance in the rain, jump in a puddle or some leaves. Practice yoga in the park. Swing on a swing. Get a grass stain. Look for a four-leaf clover.
Incorporate a little nature into the workday.
Ride your bike to work
Start your day with coffee outside
Block out 15 minutes for a mid-day break
Take a walk at lunch, on your own, or with a colleague, friend, or neighbor
Take phone calls outside
Eat outside
Move meetings to outdoor seating areas, such as picnic tables
Opt for an outdoor workout class.
Look for a social group like Facebook or Meetup (like my annual Yoga in the Park and other special yoga events!)
Enjoy a vista.
Is there a place nearby where you can get a bigger view? Options range from your local park to the top of a parking garage. Catch a beautiful sunrise or sunset. Watch a storm roll in. Take in the change in seasons.
Monthly Connection with Nature: Range Just a Little Farther
Whether it’s enjoying a day at the beach or a hike in the woods, a day in nature requires saving a date, traveling a short distance to get there, prepping a meal or two, or grabbing some gear. But the restorative rewards are well worth it. Here are some ideas to get you going:
Go overnight in the wild.
Take a short backpacking trip or camp someplace new (or old)
Hang out in a hammock
Count the stars in the night sky
Watch the moon rise
Wake up in a tent
Take a hike or go trail running.
Maybe find a new trail to explore
Surround yourself with trees, or walk a dry creek bed
Hike to a beautiful vista, like a hilltop or waterfall
Love mountain biking? Ride a single-track or paved forest trail
Frolic in a meadow
Get wet and wild.
Jump in a lake
Splash in a stream
Feel sand between your toes
Listen to the ocean
Get saltwater in your hair
Dunk your head in a waterfall
Kayak or paddle board wherever you can
Take a friend fly-fishing
Go fall off a surfboard
Indulge in snow sports.
Drink hot chocolate in the snow
Catch a snowflake on your tongue
Snowshoe…it’s a breeze!
Learn to ski
Snowboard till the lifts stop
Annually: Go Deep and Go Wild!
Plan your next big trip that takes you deeper into the wild for a longer period.
Visit any national park or forest service land for hiking, camping, backpacking, river float, fishing, or climbing. The U.S. is packed full of many natural wonders, waiting for us to explore.
Go to a part of your own country you haven’t explored before. Do something new. Either on your own, with friends, or with a guide.
Consider a spa or wellness retreat in an area known for healing and wildlife.
Or go global:
Trek through Asia or New Zealand
Bicycle around France, Italy, or Spain
See the northern lights
Kayak camp through an area with accessible islands
Yoga trip to Thailand, Bali, India, Coast Rica, or Mexico
Safari in South Africa (including my annual Nature Heart Safari!), Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda
Final Thoughts
We were not meant to live in a cage, disconnected from the natural world. So, for your health, happiness, and personal growth, it’s worth a little time and effort to find ways large and small to strengthen your connection with your natural self.
While you’re at it, take a few photos along the way. After all, one of life’s joys comes from creating new memories. Going somewhere new or looking at familiar surroundings with a fresh perspective is a great way to do that.
Whatever you choose…congratulations, you are un-domesticating yourself. Break outta that cage and go wild!
