Can being outdoors help with mindfulness?

Mindfulness is something that can make a huge difference to people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Worrying about the many things the disease brings with it can alter your mood, but practising being mindful can help you to better understand and manage these feelings.

The great outdoors is a fantastic place for this as there are so many things to focus on – the sounds of birds and the smells of all different kinds of plants for example.

We’ll aim in this blog to talk a bit more about some of the things you can do outdoors to practise mindfulness. Firstly, let’s start with something active.

Taking a walk

Walking is something that a lot of us do daily without much thought, but being intentional about it makes all the difference. Often  there is an end objective like walking down the high street or to work but going out for the sake of  walking makes practising this kind of mindfulness far easier.

Take the time to focus not on where you’re going but what is around you such as the trees and wildlife. Even if it’s only for 15 minutes, a time without stressful thoughts going around your head can make a world of difference.

Gardening

For those who might prefer something a little bit more accessible out in the open there is tending to your garden.

There are many ways to unplug from what bothers you daily in the garden, from planting bulbs that flower in the warmer months to growing your own fruit and vegetables! In addition to this you’ll have a lovely space that you can be proud of.

Foraging

Even if you don’t have the space to grow your own food you can still go out into the wild and find some. Foraging is an interesting thing to learn about and research as you’ll likely find things to eat you might not have known about of otherwise.

The process of picking is a great way of focusing on just one thing and getting something you can cook with out of it (blackberry crumble tastes even better when you’ve picked the berries yourself).

Do be careful however when foraging to understand what is safe to eat, as well as if you are permitted to forage in certain areas. There are plenty of resources out there to read up on.

Listening to birds

The tweeting of birds is a sweet sound, but have you even really taken the time to listen to them properly?

Sitting somewhere quiet without any kind of technology and just listening to their unique sounds and songs makes for a very relaxing activity. It might be a good idea to visit your local woods or somewhere far away from busy roads to hear a good variety of sounds.

There are many ways MSers can practice mindfulness outdoors, and these are only a handful of suggestions we’ve covered.

If you are interested in learning more about how to practice mindfulness then you can view our relevant resources linked below! Just click the buttons to get started.