#septembernaturechallenge
Wendell says, “We have the world to live in on the condition that we will take good care of it. And to take good care of it we have to know it. And to know it and to be willing to take care of it, we have to love it.”
Most of us are suffering from what author Richard Louv calls “nature deficit disorder,” which he says, “is not a formal diagnosis, but a way to describe the psychological, physical and cognitive costs of human alienation from nature, particularly for children in their vulnerable developing years.” We aren’t getting outside enough, and our minds, bodies, and spirits are suffering for it.
It’s not just people are suffering – nature is too. It would be silly to think that the two aren’t connected, and I think a big part of the antidote to what ails us and nature share a common root: we can’t love something that we no longer know. An answer to both problems – ours and nature’s – is to simply get outside more.
I recently reread Florence Williams’ The Nature Fix, and I was even more compelled by her writing than I was the first time around. I’ve always thought of that back-to-school time as a second new year, so I thought I would commit to getting outside more as summer turns to fall – and I thought it might be fun if others might want to join me. We can leverage the beauty of fall to motivate us.
So join me to get outside for a minimum of five minutes every day in September. I originally wanted to challenge us to commit to 30 minutes every day in September (30for30 has such a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?!), but I just finished Atomic Habits, and I was completely convinced by James Clear’s argument throughout the book that the key to building habits that stick is to start very small, like atomically small (hence, the name of the book!). Obviously, create your own time goal, but make it so small and do-able that you can’t find an excuse not to do it every day. Unlike other prescriptions, time in nature has no dosage limitations – you get more benefits the more time you spend outside, but every little bit brings benefits too. So let’s start very small and commit to building our nature muscles together this month!
I don’t like to pick favorites, but September is such a lovely month that it makes it easy to get outside each day and establish the habit as we head into winter’s harsher days ahead.
Use #septembernaturechallenge to share on social media…and know that each week there are chances to win prizes for those who participate!
P.S. If you’re local, celebrate our September Nature Challenge with a free yoga and meditation practice outside at Funky Farms on Monday, September 30th at 6PM.
