I get emails almost every day from people telling me how much they love nature.
It’s really not surprising to me…
Nature is filled with so much beauty, life & wisdom that it’s only natural to feel uplifted in the presence of big trees & singing birds.
But have you ever thought about why we feel this way?
I’ve learned from experience that being in touch with a genuine love for nature makes it easier to share that love and pass it on to others in our life (like children, friends & family).
To cultivate appreciation for all aspects of nature is an essential step towards bringing our modern society into harmony with life on this earth.
So I thought it would be fun to share a list of my own reasons why I love nature, and I’m excited to discover which ones resonate the deepest with you!
Here are 10 reasons why I love nature (and why you might too).
1. Nature Brings Us To Our Senses
One of the unique things about nature is that it pulls us into experiencing sensory awareness, rather than being caught up in our thoughts.
When your senses are captivated by the beauty and mystery of a natural setting, it slows all the noise of mental chatter that normally clogs up our attention.
Consider that having this quiet mind grounded in the senses is a really huge shift in awareness from how most modern people spend their time.
Most people are extremely disconnected from their senses on a day-to-day basis.
We live in a world of almost constant bombardment of screens, information, technology, and long boring hours working inside surrounded by concrete walls.
It’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed, stressed, anxious and burnt out, moving through their days in a haze that makes it difficult to fully enjoy life.
For this reason, nature is a balancing force that helps us clear our mind of all the scattered junk and worries.
It gets you out of your head and into your body.
In this way, nature not only evokes new sensory experiences, but also leads us to find clarity of mind so life makes more sense.
It gives us a chance to step away from our worries and simply come to our senses for a little while.
And doesn’t it feel so good to be seeing things clearly again! Thank you nature.
2. Nature Makes You Smarter
In addition to the mental clarity of being called to our senses, I also believe nature makes people genuinely smarter.
In fact, in Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, there’s an entire intelligence type called the naturalist intelligence.
Naturalist intelligence is a gift for observing sensory patterns and being aware of life in our environment.
In my experience however, this skill isn’t just limited to people who have naturalist intelligence as their primary style.
I believe that being aware of life is an innate human skill that plays into everyone’s ability to process and make sense of all areas of human intelligence.
My personal experience is that before I began studying nature, I was very self-absorbed and unable to see what was happening outside of my own little bubble of inward attention.
As a teenager I began consciously exploring the world of animals, birds, plants & trees to hone and develop my basic observation skills.
Amazingly, I found that studying nature helped me grow in ways I never even imagined starting out.
I found that awakening my naturalist intelligence helped me become smarter in all areas of life.
Now I get to be known amongst my friends & family as someone who is tremendously skilled at solving natural mysteries.
What’s more, I find the deeper I go into nature, the more capacity I have to improve my relationships, my career, my ability to absorb information and have clear perceptions in all areas of life.
Truly naturalist intelligence helps me be smarter in all areas of life, which is a really great reason to love being outside.
(I also created an entire home study course on awakening naturalist intelligence if you’d like to learn more on this topic)
3. You Get To Solve Cool Mysteries
Everyone loves a good mystery right?
Humans are naturally drawn to mysteries because we’re innately curious beings with the insatiable urge to explore & discover.
When we get into nature, suddenly we find a magical world filled with exciting opportunities to have thrilling adventures.
Everywhere you look has new mysteries that pull us deeper into our experience of natural life:
- What tree did this nut come from?
- What animal left these tracks?
- What bird is that building a nest on the street corner?
- Where does the owl sleep during the day?
- How does the coyote move through our yard without us knowing?
These are all questions that teach us how to engage our minds, and engage with life more fully… while also activating our emotions in a truly meaningful way.
There’s something deeply thrilling about following a distant noise in the forest and then discovering a wild animal hiding in the bushes.
Solving mysteries fulfills our deep longing for adventure & excitement, whilealso teaching science and critical thinking skills in a way that makes learning genuinely fun.
Which brings us to the next profoundly simple reason why I love nature…
4. Nature Is Incredibly Fun
Everyone loves having fun and one thing I’ve learned is that nature really does have something fun for everyone.
For many people, their love of nature is just a childhood memory of long summer days at the farm catching frogs and playing robin hood in the forest.
For other it’s as simple as planting a garden and watching the squirrels be ridiculous at the bird feeder.
Do you remember making forts in the woods when you were a kid?
Or maybe you love the challenge and intensity of rock climbing, or white water rafting.
What are some of YOUR favorite memories of having fun in nature?
Too often people will lump things that are “fun” into the category of “non-essential”.
But as with all things in life, it is really important to have balance.
If you approach life as a constant work and struggle then you never get any time to recharge and reconnect with what brings you joy.
Nature starts by letting us relax, while providing a stimulating atmosphere for the senses. Then before long, you realize you’re having the time of your life.
Adventuring and exploring outdoors gets us ready to make our positive impact on the world, and nature makes it super easy.
So. Much. Fun!
5. Nature Feeds Us
It doesn’t matter if you’re an omnivore, carnivore, vegetarian or vegan… if it weren’t for nature, you wouldn’t have food.
Think about that for a moment…
When is the last time you stopped to really appreciate this most basic necessity that nature provides so abundantly?
We get so much pleasure and enjoyment from eating food. It’s an opportunity to socialize and rebuild our physical, mental & emotional strength for life.
With just a bit of focus and attention, we can enhance this connection with our food to increase the benefits we get every time we eat.
By growing food in our backyards, patios and community gardens, we contribute to food security while connecting with our food source.
Homegrown food is fresher and contributes to a healthy local ecosystem and biodiversity.
Wild edibles are packed with nutrition and there’s something special about freshly picked food that just can’t compare to what you find in the grocery store.
I love food, therefore I love nature!
6. Nature Helps Us Feel Wild Again
Somewhere deep inside the DNA of every human being is the memory of long ago when all people were truly wild.
It’s a bit funny to think of modern humans as like domesticated animals, but it actually is a fairly accurate comparison.
Our gradual innovation over thousands of years has created lifestyles of incredible comfort for much of the world’s population.
We’ve gained a lot of amazing comforts & security, but we’ve also lost the primal benefits that come from being exposed to cold, physical exercise & the intense need to keep our senses sharp as both hunter and hunted.
We no longer need to survive by our wits & survival instincts, but those survival instincts are still inside waiting to be activated.
Have you ever felt the surge of energy & electrical aliveness that comes from returning to a more wild relationship with nature, even if just temporarily?
I believe this primal feeling of wildness is the impetus behind so many movements like forest bathing, cold exposure & functional movement activities like parkour & going barefoot.
People consistently report that putting their body & mind through these mildly stressful situations in nature that emulate ancestral experiences has incredible benefits on their life as a whole.
It fulfills the deep longing to adventure in the wild, so we connect with our inner resources and charge ourselves up with vigour.
This doesn’t mean we need to stop enjoying our modern comforts, but if we want to live the best possible lives, we also can’t lose touch with our primitive roots.
So when’s the last time you felt truly wild?
7. Wild Animals Are Amazing
Have you ever had a close encounter with a wild animal?
There’s almost nothing in the world that can stimulate awareness and get your heart thumping like a close encounter with a truly wild animal.
I learned this first hand one day when a family of cougars walked around me while I was sitting outside doing my daily sensory awareness exercises.
At the time this experience was incredibly scary, but it also remains to this day one of the most inspirational and impactful moments of my life.
Seeing such powerful animals in their native habitat taught me things about my fear response, sensory awareness & mental focus under pressure that changed who I am as a person.
It taught me to appreciate my life and the life of everything around me.
Even animals that aren’t at all dangerous can have similar effects on human consciousness as long as they really are wild.
Another time, I heard some bird alarms up ahead on the trail, and when I stalked up to see who was causing the disturbance, I saw two baby raccoons tumbling in the bushes!
I watched them for a few minutes and then quietly snuck back out before they could see me.
These magical moments of connection with wild animals teach us that we’re not all that different from the other living things on this earth.
It’s hard to put the experience of awe & wonderment into words, but if you’ve ever had a close encounter with a wild animal then you know what I’m talking about… and chances are you love these experiences as much as I do!
8. Nature Boosts Creativity
Since the dawn of time, humans have been inspired to the heights of creativity & innovation by spending quality time close to nature.
Scientists, philosophers, artists & social leaders have wandered forests and hills looking for those special moments of clarity when inspiration hits and brings insight to how we see the world.
This is something that happens for everyone who spends enough time outside in nature with the intention to evolve their understanding of life.
I personally find this is one of the best ways to get a massive influx of fresh new ideas.
Whenever I have a creative problem in my business or relationships, I just go outside and pretty soon there are new ideas flowing in.
I might start off feeling anxious or uncertain, but then as I wander and sit quietly in beautiful places, I start to feel better which clears my mind and lets me see new opportunities I hadn’t considered.
I love that we have this never ending source of wisdom, inspiration & creativity right at our fingertips!
9. Nature Brings Inner Peace
Have you ever had the experience of being somewhere so incredibly beautiful that you couldn’t help but feel peace inside?
I think most people have had moments like this…
Whether it’s sitting quietly on the pond edge at first light, hearing frogs calling and gently filling the air with their songs as the sky turns to day and lighting the trees up with the fiery morning sunrise.
Or slowly wandering through an old growth forest with the fresh scent of rain and dappled sunshine dotting the soft earth, amplified by an ancient stillness that seems to slow time all the way down.
These moments of natural beauty give us the same cherished peace & inner quiet that so many people seek through meditation & mindfulness practices.
Yet the amazing thing is feeling this peaceful state of mind doesn’t depend on doing any fancy meditations or techniques.
it’s simply you resonating with the calm atmosphere and beauty of nature.
In this way, nature helps us experience a more natural state of meditation & inner peace.
And for many people, sitting quietly in nature actually provides a more effective pathway to access the deeper states of peaceful consciousness that so many are seeking.
Step outside, tune in, and find your peace with nature!
10. Nature Makes Us Happy
At the end of the day, people are just plain happier with nature than they are without.
When I first got seriously interested in the outdoors, I viewed nature as a way to expand my mind and activate my senses by being more mindful.
Eventually as I began to spend more time outside, I came to realize that even beyond the direct personal and professional benefits, it just makes me so happy to be surrounded by natural things.
Nature became less about me trying to get some sort of benefit for myself, and more about just enjoying how much I love birds, trees, flowers, sunshine, puffy clouds, mountains & meadows.
If you give it a try, I think you’ll find yourself falling in love with nature too.
So now it’s your turn. Why do YOU love nature? Let me know in the comments below!
