Embracing Nature: Finding Peace and Connection Outdoors

Come outside. If you listen closely, the natural world calls out to you. Can you hear the dirt crunching softly beneath your feet, feel the breeze which passes between hickory trees? Native birds like the common grackle and chipping sparrow inhabit Southeastern forests and open meadows, foraging for insects and seeds. Deer fawns rehearse hiding behavior, awaiting their mother’s return. The June sun steadily warms the land, its rays driving the summer season while shining as the cornerstone of lifeforms.

Have you been feeling overwhelmed lately? Prioritizing one’s mental health can be difficult to navigate. Life has a unique way of taking unexpected turns and creating unforeseen experiences, reminding us that change is inevitable. Feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and depression often emerge from personal and collective adversities, at times blurring the paths in front of us. Similar to the cycles of the natural world, there can be a sense of loss, fleetingness, and impermanence to moments of certainty, connection, and joy.

Connecting with nature can help lessen mental fatigue, soothe feelings of anxiety, and restore a sense of wellbeing. Inspiring awe, nature can serve as a cathartic space for healing, self-exploration, and togetherness. The budding growth of public access to trails, greenways, and blueways allow for outdoor recreational activity such as hiking, and dog walking to kayaking and bird watching.

Mental burnout has become a common phenomenon. Emerging from the growing pressure of external changes, the digitization of social interactions, and overstimulation of attention can lead to emotional fatigue, anxiety, and depression. These experiences can be isolating, painful, and harmful on the individual psyche, and without healthy outlets in place, it is easy to lose sight of the path. Immersing yourself in nature can instill feelings of connectivity to oneself and the roots of history, of life, of existence.

The Carolina Thread Trail helps improve public health and environmentalism through its multi-regional network of trails. Studies consistently point to the myriads of benefits which arise from spending time in the outdoors. A challenging hike in a different environment, while physically stimulating, can offer mental clarity while inspiring wonder and curiosity. The breathtaking views found in trails can remind us of the power of looking at something from a different perspective. Taking a new or different trail route allows a safe space for individuals to step outside of their comfort zone, embrace the unknown, explore their thoughts and dreams. Offering social connection, transportation, and openness, greenways curve and bend through natural landscapes, knitting together neighborhoods and communities across state lines.

Spending time outdoors can help re-structure thought processes, nourish feelings of connectedness, and ground oneself in the present moment. Similar to the natural world, collective mental health is in a constant state of evolution, change, and fluidity. While these pathways connect us to the flowering, complex natural systems, they also connect us to something deeper within ourselves. Carolina Thread Trail is dedicated to providing these green spaces to the public, creating a sense of cohesion, environmental awareness, and opportunities for learning.

Written by Cooper Knight
Photo by Jennifer Podis