February 11, 2022Mindful Care
How Well-being can help us be more sustainable?
Taking care of ourselves is a key step to start taking care of others and the planet. In this article, we will introduce you to two practices that will help us towards a sustainable lifestyle:
Meditation & Ecotherapy.
Meditation can bring health benefits such as lower the stress and anxiety, improve self-awareness and concentration, among others. It’s definitely a good habit that we should all adopt to better cope with the daily challenges. And, it can actually help you to have a more sustainable lifestyle. One green planet shares the following tips:
1. Helps you make mindful choices.
Mindfulness is about being more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, and live the present moment. When you are living a sustainable life, this is key. Why? You will be less likely to buy something on impulse or you will truly consider your choices.
2. Boost energy levels.
A sustainable lifestyle requires extra energy from you. Whether is sourcing vegan ingredients, researching ethical retailers, or making homemade shampoo, the amount of extra labor involved needs our energy. Meditation tackles the extra, energy-draining stress you might experience. By improving your quality of sleep and giving you moments of deep and profound rest during the day, you will be jumping out of bed every morning full of energy.
3. Increase your empathy.
A sustainable lifestyle has its roots in compassion, and in wanting the world to be a better place for everyone. But stress could get on the way and make harder for us to practice compassion with others. Meditation tackles the root cause of everyday selfishness by making us calmer and more mindful, and it has proven to increase our kindness.
Now let’s talk about Ecotherapy
Also known as nature or green therapy, is the applied practice of the ecopsychology, developed by Theodore Roszak. It stems from the belief that we are part of the web of life and also part of our environment.
Since ecotherapy is an umbrella term for nature-based approaches to healing, there are many types of interventions used. Some activities take place with the guidance of a therapist while others are carried out individually or in group.
Few types of ecotherapy:
🌱 Horticultural therapy: Garden-related activities can be used to promote well-being. Taking care of your balcony or garden, planting some seeds and seeing them growing can give you a feeling of fulfilment.
🐶 Animal-assisted therapy: In this therapy, animals are introduced into the healing process. Petting or playing with a dog, for example, reduces aggression and agitation for some people.
🚵♀️ Physical exercise in the nature: This can include activities such as walking, jogging, cycling, or doing yoga in a park or forest. These activities foster increased awareness of the natural world and are recommended for reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
What about the benefits?
1. Motivation to exercise
Many ecotherapy practices will get you out of the house and moving.
To do yourself and nature some good, you could even try plogging — the official-ish term for picking up trash while you jog.
2. Increased mindfulness
When you spend time in a natural environment, you’re more likely to use your senses to experience your surroundings. Calming sounds, like birds chirping or the rustling of leaves, can help you detach from work conflict and ordinary stressors of everyday life.
Take your regular activities outside. You can read, work or exercise somewhere in the nature and you will see the positive impact on your mood.
Well-being and sustainability are very related topics that help us taking care of ourselves and the planet at the same time.
Meditation & Ecotherapy.
Meditation can bring health benefits such as lower the stress and anxiety, improve self-awareness and concentration, among others. It’s definitely a good habit that we should all adopt to better cope with the daily challenges. And, it can actually help you to have a more sustainable lifestyle. One green planet shares the following tips:
1. Helps you make mindful choices.
Mindfulness is about being more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, and live the present moment. When you are living a sustainable life, this is key. Why? You will be less likely to buy something on impulse or you will truly consider your choices.
2. Boost energy levels.
A sustainable lifestyle requires extra energy from you. Whether is sourcing vegan ingredients, researching ethical retailers, or making homemade shampoo, the amount of extra labor involved needs our energy. Meditation tackles the extra, energy-draining stress you might experience. By improving your quality of sleep and giving you moments of deep and profound rest during the day, you will be jumping out of bed every morning full of energy.
3. Increase your empathy.
A sustainable lifestyle has its roots in compassion, and in wanting the world to be a better place for everyone. But stress could get on the way and make harder for us to practice compassion with others. Meditation tackles the root cause of everyday selfishness by making us calmer and more mindful, and it has proven to increase our kindness.
Now let’s talk about Ecotherapy
Also known as nature or green therapy, is the applied practice of the ecopsychology, developed by Theodore Roszak. It stems from the belief that we are part of the web of life and also part of our environment.
Since ecotherapy is an umbrella term for nature-based approaches to healing, there are many types of interventions used. Some activities take place with the guidance of a therapist while others are carried out individually or in group.
Few types of ecotherapy:
🌱 Horticultural therapy: Garden-related activities can be used to promote well-being. Taking care of your balcony or garden, planting some seeds and seeing them growing can give you a feeling of fulfilment.
🐶 Animal-assisted therapy: In this therapy, animals are introduced into the healing process. Petting or playing with a dog, for example, reduces aggression and agitation for some people.
🚵♀️ Physical exercise in the nature: This can include activities such as walking, jogging, cycling, or doing yoga in a park or forest. These activities foster increased awareness of the natural world and are recommended for reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
What about the benefits?
1. Motivation to exercise
Many ecotherapy practices will get you out of the house and moving.
To do yourself and nature some good, you could even try plogging — the official-ish term for picking up trash while you jog.
2. Increased mindfulness
When you spend time in a natural environment, you’re more likely to use your senses to experience your surroundings. Calming sounds, like birds chirping or the rustling of leaves, can help you detach from work conflict and ordinary stressors of everyday life.
Take your regular activities outside. You can read, work or exercise somewhere in the nature and you will see the positive impact on your mood.
Well-being and sustainability are very related topics that help us taking care of ourselves and the planet at the same time.