The modern world is a stressful place and the average person's lifestyle does nothing for their mental health. It's all about instant gratification and transient pleasures these days as we scroll left and right on our mobiles and tablets, waiting for something to catch our eye before we pause, just for a moment, and then carry on scrolling. Add to that the worries and stresses over our health, our jobs and our loved ones and we have a worrying recipe for a serious deterioration in our mental state and ability to cope. So how can we go about restoring some balance in our lives? What do we need to do to regain control of our minds and reduce the stress? It starts in the great outdoors Everybody recognises that Mother Nature is one of the greatest if not the greatest healer on the planet. There have been numerous studies and reports in recent years that highlight the huge benefits that we gain from spending time outdoors. Whether it's pottering in the garden, going for a walk or taking to 2 wheels, fresh air and exercise makes us feel good not only physically but mentally too. But when you're out walking, do you actually notice your surroundings, I mean really notice what's around you? Take my brother's visit to the Pyrenees a few years ago. He's the perfect example. It was an especially stressful time of life for him. When we went out for a walk, he'd shuffle along, head down, lost in his own little world of busy thoughts, distracted by worries and the pressures of life. He was going through the motions and oblivious to his surroundings. In his mind he was somewhere else and he was mentally exhausted. He wasn't in a good place, but more about him ...
The modern world is a stressful place and the average person’s lifestyle does nothing for their mental health. It’s all about instant gratification and transient pleasures these days as we scroll left and right on our mobiles and tablets, waiting for something to catch our eye before we pause, just for a moment, and then