The market for stress management coaching is booming. No wonder, because we live in a very stressful world and life in the city can be very stressful.
The constant traffic noise, the hustle and bustle and the permanent sensory overload often make it difficult to keep calm in the city and not be infected by the stress around you.
In addition, especially in the city, we spend less and less time outdoors and instead spend most of the day in air-conditioned rooms cut off from the outside world. And while our cities continue to grow and expand, nature takes up less and less space in the city.
Sometimes, this can make it feel like we're completely losing touch with the natural world around us.
And that creates additional stress, because we humans are "by nature" programmed for nature. We need natural spaces for our physical, mental and emotional balance - simply because it is in our genes.
We are "Outside-Beings" who have become "Inside-Beings", as the American nature and mindfulness coach Mark Coleman Expresses.
However, there are also many opportunities in the city to connect with nature and thus develop more serenity and inner peace - even in the midst of a bustling metropolis.
In this article, I present 10 ways you can strengthen your connection with nature even in the city and thus lower your stress level. You could call it "natural stress management coaching in the city".
Tip 1: Get out in the sun
The easiest way to do this: Go out into the sun!
The sun is the engine of all life on earth. Without the sun, plants would not be able to photosynthesize, i.e. produce neither oxygen nor sugar.
However, both are the basis of life for all animal life on earth and thus also for us humans. No wonder, then, that indigenous cultures around the world revered the sun as a giver of life thousands of years ago.
We can guess this special role of the sun for life on earth when we feel the sun's rays, the light and the warmth of the sun on our skin.
The power of nature is therefore particularly reflected in the power and energy of the sun. And because the sun shines equally everywhere, conscious contact with it is a wonderful way to reconnect with the power of nature in the city.
However, this does not mean that you should sunbathe on the balcony or in the city park in summer to get as tan as possible. Rather, it means that you go outside as often as possible and consciously perceive the sun as the source of life.
If you have a balcony, sit outside and feel the light and warmth of the sun. Or you can sit on a bench in a nearby park.
Try to develop a sense of gratitude as you consciously perceive the sun in this way. In this way, you reconnect with their power and at the same time strengthen your connection to nature and life as a whole.
In this way, you can create small islands of peace in everyday life with which you can recharge your own energy and strength in stressful times.
Tip 2: Heaven instead of mobile phone - Stress management coaching "Out Of The Blue"
Probably all of us have a cell phone and use our cell phone many times a day. One Study from the USA shows that every mobile phone user there looks at his mobile phone on average between 80 and 90 times a day. In Germany, the number is likely to be similarly high.
Pay attention to how many people you meet on the go who are even looking at their cell phones while walking. Maybe you even catch yourself doing it sometimes - it has happened to me anyway 😉
Do it differently and look at the sky more often!
Look at the clouds. Watch how the formations of the clouds in the sky change. Perceive the play of colors of the sun's rays in the clouds.
You will notice how quickly the unintentional but conscious observation of the sky relaxes you and takes you out of daily stress.
At the same time, you reconnect with nature. Because the clouds represent the elements of water and wind - both important forces in nature and thus good opportunities for a deeper connection with nature.
And because just like the sun, clouds are everywhere, it also works great in the city.
Tip 3: Listen to birdsong!
Many bird species have learned that living in the city also brings many advantages. There is enough food, the competition is not as great as in the ancestral habitat and there are also fewer predators.
Even in the largest cities in the world, there are therefore birds that have conquered the urban habitat for themselves. And with that, you have another option for "natural stress management coaching in the city".
Because observing animals is a wonderful way to strengthen and deepen the connection with nature. And birds are very easy to observe - even in the city.
At the same time, you can lower your stress level, because the conscious, unintentional and judgment-free observation of animals is a practiced mindfulness exercise and is therefore actually a form of meditation in nature.
Plus: A Study of the British National Trust has shown that simply hearing birdsong lowers cortisol levels in the blood and has a positive effect on the experience of stress.
So if you feel that you urgently need to relax again, then a walk through a nearby park with all the birdsong to discover there is a wonderful way to regain your balance after work and leave the stress of the day behind.
Tip 4: Find a tree friend
I had just reported that staying in a city park can lower your stress level because you have the opportunity to listen to birdsong and observe animals.
But you can also use a visit to a city park for something else: Find a tree friend.
In many city parks there are particularly imposing and old trees. And in my eyes, the energy of trees and the spirits of trees are among the best ways to reconnect with the power of nature.
Trees have always been revered by humans. As the World Tree "Yggdrasil", the tree in Norse mythology represents the connection between heaven and earth. The columns in our churches today also take up this symbolism and represent the connection between the earthly (earth) and the divine (heaven).
Even in the cinema film "Avatar" - one of my favorite films - we find a very similar motif with the "Tree of Souls". And who doesn't know the druid Getafix from the Asterix comics, who can usually be found somewhere on or under a tree.
All over the world, indigenous cultures have looked to trees as guardians of wisdom and have developed a deep connection with them.
Did you know that the oldest tree in the world - a quaking aspen in Utah, USA - is estimated to be about 80,000 years old?! This makes this tree possibly the oldest living organism in the world and it was already on Earth when we humans were still sitting in caves armed with wooden spears and had just discovered fire!
The name of this tree is Pando, which is Latin for "I spread myself."
For a long time, Pando was not recognized as a tree at all. In fact, Pando is an entire forest, consisting of approximately 47,000 trees. However, studies have shown that all the trees are genetically identical and connected by an underground root system. This means all the trees are "offshoots" of one and the same tree. In this way, Pando has managed to survive for thousands of years.
Use the special significance of trees in your life by forming a friendship with a special tree near you. Greet "your" tree in your thoughts every time you walk past it. You can also compliment it and thank it, for example, for producing oxygen for you and all other living beings.
And not too little: Depending on its size, a single tree produces as much oxygen every day as 5-20 people need to live! In addition, trees filter pollutants from the air and improve the microclimate.
Enough reasons, then, to treat our trees with gratitude.
If you've built a relationship with your tree in this way, you can ask your tree friend for advice on difficult questions, for example.
I recently did this with a tree in a forest near me and received the sentence "All power comes from within yourself." in response to my question. With this answer, I was then able to solve my problem relatively quickly.
It doesn't really matter whether you subscribe to the idea that there is such a thing as the intelligent consciousness of the tree with which you are communicating in this way, or whether you assume that the tree simply "only" stimulates your own creativity.
Ultimately, the decisive factor is whether you find new solutions to a problem and can thus deal with it better.
You can also use the friendship with your tree, for example, for a short stress management coaching on the way home. For example, simply ask your tree which resources are particularly important to you in your situation right now or how you can ensure and improve access to these resources.
Become as neutral as possible internally, connect with the energy of your tree, and ask for advice on your question. Pay attention to what images, thoughts, and feelings arise within you afterward. They represent the answer of the tree (or – depending on your perspective – your own creative part) to your question.
Consider the answers you get as a stimulus and inspiration for your question or problem. In the end, we are always the ones who make the decisions in our lives, but it doesn't hurt to listen 🙂 to different opinions
Tip 5: The power of water
Water is one of the four elements of Greek philosophy (Earth, Water, Fire, Air), as well as to the 5 elements from Chinese philosophy, such as those found in Feng Shui, the study of the harmonious relationships of people to their environment (Earth, Water, Fire, Metal, Wood).
And also the Hawaiian Huna Philosophy sees water as one of the basic elements (there you know Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Plants, Animals, People than the basic elements).
And even though modern chemistry has no longer recognized water as an independent element, but as a combination of hydrogen and oxygen, the special importance of water for life on earth remains unaffected.
Water is life.
And we are Water. Because our body consists - depending on age, gender and constitution - of approx. 50-60% water!
Therefore, reconnecting with the element of water means not only reconnecting with nature as a whole, but also reconnecting with yourself.
The good thing about it: There is water in every city!
In most cities, there are fountains or ponds in parks. In some cities, even lakes or rivers. And globally, many cities are even located on the coasts. And finally, indoor and outdoor pools are also a way to come into contact with the element of water - just like the shower at home and the tap in the bathroom!
Access to the water is therefore not a problem even in the city and is a wonderful way to deepen your connection with nature.
How can you do that?
Quite obvious, by making sure you drink enough water, for example - especially in stressful times.
This is because a lack of water is a common cause of fatigue and difficulty concentrating. So with a sufficient water intake alone, you have already taken an important measure to better deal with stress and challenges.
But of course, there is more you can do:
Wash some dishes by hand every now and then. Because this also reconnects you with the element of water. At the same time, washing dishes by hand is an almost classic exercise from mindfulness.
And when you're done rinsing, just go out to the water. Sit on the shore of a lake, if there is one in your city. Physically connect with the water by submerging your hands or feet in the water.
Maybe there is also a boat or SUP rental in your city and you often go out with a boat or SUP board after work or on the weekend.
You will see that over time you will develop a completely different attitude to life if you deepen the contact with water and nature in general in this way. This will also help you get through the stressful times we all experience in our lives much better.
And if your city doesn't have any of these, you can also just visit a fountain.
Because as always, it depends more on the awareness in which you do things than on what exactly you are doing.
So whether you're taking a great boat trip or
Tip 6: Natural stress management coaching in your own four walls: Design your home "close to nature"
There is hardly a simpler and better way to strengthen the connection with nature and thus create a positive basic feeling than to make your own home more natural.
In this way, the design of one's own four walls can be an important building block for natural stress management coaching.
How?
For example, by getting green houseplants and placing them in your home. Because the not only reduce stress and boost mood, but also help us to concentrate better, have more energy and improve the air quality in the home.
One Series of studies proves the many positive effects of houseplants on our mental and physical well-being.
And if you have a balcony, you can turn it into your personal place of relaxation by transforming it into an oasis of well-being and wellness with suitable plants.
You can find many suggestions on the Website Bio-Balcony by Birgit Schattling, which is not only about a natural design of your own balcony, but also about how you can use your balcony for your own self-sufficiency with healthy food.
And if you have neither the time nor the desire to care for plants in your home, then hang up some great nature pictures with lots of green in them in your home. Because even just looking at pictures with a lot of natural green reduces stress - this has also been shown in Studies has since been confirmed.
Tip 7: Go barefoot more often
As a child, it was normal to take off your shoes and go out barefoot. As soon as the temperatures got a little warmer, the shoes flew into the corner and we kept our feet in the sun.
Today we mostly walk around with shoes. Barefoot walking is a really great thing on many levels!
The feet can recover because they are no longer pressed into the narrow footbed of the shoes. This not only relaxes the feet themselves, but the entire body becomes looser and more relaxed.
At the same time, walking barefoot will take a lot of Acupressure points on the soles of the feet massages - which has positive effects on almost all organs of the body. So it's worth going barefoot regularly just for that.
But there is another effect that is not visible at first glance, but has very far-reaching consequences.
To do this, you need to know: The Earth contains many free electrons, i.e. it is negatively charged with respect to the air layers above. Normally, these electrons are also distributed to our bodies because we are in contact with the ground through our feet.
If our body is connected to the earth in this way, many metabolic processes in the body run better, we feel healthier overall and have more energy.
This is mainly due to the fact that the free electrons of the earth act like antioxidants in our body and help neutralize free radicals in the body. This effect is scientifically confirmed.
If we wear shoes, the electrons can no longer reach our body and we are positively charged compared to the earth's surface - with diverse effects on our entire system, our health, and how energetic we feel.
Reconnecting with the earth takes on a whole new, very tangible level of meaning from this point of view.
In the USA, this has given rise to an entire movement that Earthing. Earthing followers use other technical aids in addition to just walking barefoot to establish contact with the earth.
You can do that, but you don't have to.
Those who walk barefoot regularly are already doing a lot for their health. And contact with water (Tip 5) also "supplies" our body with the free electrons of the earth - one reason why a swim in a lake is so refreshing.
So walk barefoot through nature as often as possible. This not only connects you mentally and spiritually with the earth again, but also materially through the exchange of electrons with the earth.
In this way, walking barefoot becomes another building block in your natural stress management coaching toolkit and helps you to get through stressful phases in a more relaxed and relaxed way.
Tip 8: Stress management coaching at the zoo
In almost every major city there is a zoo, a zoo or a zoo. And with that, you have another way to strengthen your connection to nature while lowering your stress levels.
Because nothing makes us forget our everyday worries as quickly as watching animals.
Whether it's a majestic big cat, an agile group of penguins or a playful family of meerkats: Anyone who observes animals in their behavior forgets, at least for a while, what work is waiting for them in the office or at home on the desk or what the boss said in a meeting about the last project report.
In other words, your very personal, natural stress management coaching program, so to speak.
However, you should take enough time to do this. Simply strolling from enclosure to enclosure and taking a quick look at the grounds or knocking impatiently on the windows of the enclosures will hardly help you feel connected to nature.
Why not sit in front of an enclosure for half an hour or a whole hour and watch what happens? If you do this in the awareness that you want to build a connection with the animals, the animals usually feel it and behave differently.
Often, the animals will then come closer to you on their own and you will have the opportunity to observe them up close.
Of course, watching animals in their natural habitat is always the best way to reconnect with nature. And zoos in particular are not without controversy, because they keep many animals in sometimes confined spaces.
However, zoos and zoos, with their species conservation programs for a number of animal species, also represent the last refuges before extinction. And while in earlier times wild catches of animals from their natural habitats were on the agenda, zoos today exchange offspring with each other in order to replenish their own species population.
Today, the enclosures in zoos and zoos are also usually designed in a species-appropriate way and offer the animals a habitat that is as close to nature as possible.
Zoos, zoos and animal parks thus represent another opportunity to deepen one's connection to nature in the city and thus create resources for a better handling of the challenges of everyday life.
Tip 9: Watch nature reports
But even if you come to the conclusion that animals in captivity are not an option for you to deepen your connection with nature, there is a way you can still observe animals - even in their natural habitat.
It is not without reason that animal reports on television and streaming channels are among the most popular formats and represent another opportunity for your personal stress management coaching from nature.
And unlike in a zoo or animal park, here you even have the opportunity to experience the animals up close in their native, natural habitat. Thanks to the equally challenging and outstanding work of wildlife filmmakers, you can observe animals all over the world today - comfortably in your living room and in Full HD.
Sure, that's not the same as going out yourself and feeling the wind, the rain and the warmth on your skin, while hoping for great wildlife sightings well camouflaged.
But still, even watching wildlife reports or nature films with impressive landscape shots can help you deepen your connection with nature.
It always depends on the consciousness in which we do something.
In addition, such reports give you views of and into nature that would otherwise have remained hidden from you. After all, not everyone has the opportunity to stand at the Grand Canyon at sunrise or observe mountain gorillas in Africa.
Tip 10: There are no limits
Behind the last tip is one of the tenets of the Huna philosophy, to which you can refer in in this article find a lot of information.
The Huna philosophy is a modern form of expression of ancient Hawaiian knowledge and knows a total of seven principles or principles that form the framework of this fascinating view of life.
One of these principles states that borders only exist in our heads. Or to put it another way: Everything is connected to everything else.
According to this view, the entire material world is the expression of an infinite, intelligent consciousness.
And because everything is connected to everything else in this way, on the level of consciousness, we are also in contact with the entire natural world - regardless of whether we are currently in wonderful nature or sitting at home on the 8th floor of a high-rise housing estate.
That's why you can deepen your connection to nature just by focusing on a plant, an animal or a beautiful landscape in your mind.
Simply sit comfortably in an armchair for a few minutes, breathe in and out consciously a few times and relax.
Then you create an image of nature in your mind that you want to connect with. Make the image as vivid as possible, enhance and intensify the colors, make the image bright and bright.
Then feel inside yourself if you can perceive any sounds to your picture. You may be able to hear birdsong in your mind or you may hear the sound of a nearby stream.
Next, go further into your image and touch a plant, stone or even an animal in the scenery in your mind's eye. Feel how the touch feels on your skin.
Let the image sink in for some time and then say goodbye to the landscape, the plants and the animals that you have seen in your mind's eye. Take two or three more deep breaths and come back to the here and now.
In Huna philosophy, this type of meditation is called "Tiki Garden Meditation". In addition to pure relaxation, for example after a strenuous day at work, working with the "Inner Garden" is also used for many other purposes in Huna philosophy.
Result
In the city, too, there are many ways to get in touch with nature, deepen your connection with nature and thus live a more balanced and relaxed life.
I have presented some ways to do this in this article. But maybe you will find other, own ways for your natural stress management coaching in the city.
Feel free to write me your ideas in a comment!