Utilizing Ah's Influence
Embrace the power of "Ah" in your daily grind. Life's little moments, like dipping your toes in cool water or savoring that first coffee sip, hold immense value in nurturing mental health and happiness. Let's focus on these good vibes and brush off minor hassles. Nature plays a significant role in upping your "Ah" game. A relief from the urban jungle, even a short stroll through Mother Nature, can help dull the depression-inducing rumination.
Now, let me share my own tale of dealing with rumination during the initial stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. It took a toll on my mental health and spiked anxiety levels. Picture this: waking up at 6:30 AM with a racing heart, joining my mother for a breathtakingly lit grocery run at 7:00 AM, executing a carefully planned grab-and-go mission, dodging other edgy shoppers like a scenes from a heist movie. All this for a bag of groceries in the pre-vaccine era. This rolling anxiety turned into depression, and I found myself dwelling on negativity for months on end. Life felt colourless, lifeless, as lockdowns lingered and human connection reduced to pixels on a screen.
But then, things took a turn. Being in San Diego, I discovered my Ah moments lifting from the natural world. Hikes, gardening, surfing, eating outside, you name it – experiencing and embracing nature's beauty every day. As my mind settled and absorbed the landscape around me, fewer negative thoughts swirled. The more I tapped into this quiet space, the less I wanted to ruminate and the more fulfilling my life became. Ah-mazing!
You may be wondering, what on earth does this have to do with gardening? Well, plenty! Mental health is a growing issue in the States, impacting roughly 1 in 5 adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Therapeutic gardens have been a mainstay in hospitals and prisons for years, providing significant improvement for patients and inmates. Gardening and nature interacting can decrease blood pressure, boost mood, and combat anxiety – all by combining physical activity, social interaction, sunlight exposure, and Vitamin D absorption.
Harvard's Peter James tells us that simply surrounding ourselves with trees can cause drastic improvements in chronic disease, anxiety, depression, and cognition. But rather than booking a mountain retreat, incorporating bits of nature into our ordinary lives can lead to greater long-term health benefits.
So, how can city-dwellers bring nature into our everyday lives? Gardening, my friends! Gardening to the rescue. You might look down from your 20-story apartment window and think there's no way to incorporate greenery into your life. But fear not – there are easy ways to bring nature and your own Ah moments right to your doorstep. Enter Gardenuity.
Gardenuity provides garden inspiration paired with ingenuity – nurturing a purpose, passion, and, of course, an Ah moment for you.! Choose from various subscriptions like "The Vegetable Garden," "The Herb Garden," or "The Chef's Garden" to keep your plants growing all year long. For indoor options, Gardenuity offers practical indoor plants to create your own little oasis.
Interested in the power of Ah in your professional life? Picture increased creativity, patience, and appreciation for people in your everyday interactions. Imagine lower levels of rumination and reduced anxiety. Sounds like a dream, doesn't it?
Gardenuity is a woman-powered business that makes gardening easy and enjoyable for everyone. Their matching technology creates recommendations that cater to your needs and lifestyle specifically. Whether you seek a full-blown outdoor garden or a touch of greenery at your desk, Gardenuity offers solutions to bring more life to your day-to-day life.
In conclusion, gardening is a powerful tool for promoting mental health and overall well-being. Embrace the power of Ah in your own life by reaping the numerous benefits of gardening, both in nature and urban settings. More than ever, it's time to prioritize our mental health – let's get our green thumbs going!
References:- "I Grew That" Moments | Interview with Donna Letier- Earth Day 2020: The Power of Trees and Plants- How Gardening Helps Reduce Stress- The Healing Power of Nature: Therapeutic Horticulture- Mindfulness and Stress Reduction in the Garden- Mental Health By The Numbers- Nature and Mental Health: A Systematic Review- The Health Benefits of Trees- Therapeutic Horticulture: Benefits and Barriers to Using it for Anxiety and Depression- Why Do I Feel So Good After Gardening?
- Embracing nature, such as gardening, can significantly contribute to mental health and overall wellness, as it has been proven to decrease blood pressure, boost mood, and combat anxiety.
- Therapeutic gardens, which combine various elements like greenery, physical activity, and social interaction, have been found to provide significant improvement in mental health, particularly for individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, and chronic diseases.
- Prioritizing mental health and increasing one's connection with nature can lead to a more fulfilling life, as seen through the integration of gardening into daily routines, even in urban settings. By choosing subscriptions like those offered by Gardenuity, city-dwellers can easily bring nature and its benefits right into their homes.
