This morning, a condition I inherited after an accident I experienced many years ago revisited me. I was so uncomfortable I decided to revisit my old habit.

Why did I choose to revisit my old habit?

When our dog was still around, I visited the parks every morning without fail (unless London’s weather was too awful). My husband, my dog, and I enjoyed walking and enjoying the outdoors, and the pain in my lower back went unnoticed. When my dog passed away a few years ago, my routine changed; instead of walking outdoors, I spent thirty or forty minutes of pilates work from home. Pilates is great for strengthening my muscles, and it made me feel good, but something was missing.

Why is moving in nature necessary?

From The Human Longevity Project, I learned that movements like walking help mitochondrial biogenesis and induce anti-inflammation. Not just that, spending time in nature improves cognition, creativity, strategic thoughts, and mental abilities. The smell of plants activates our primitive brain and changes our body and physiology with a click. Walking is a ritual; walking in the quiet of nature allows healing and creates greater purposes, purposes like being healthy, joyous, and valuable – purposes that have nothing to do with getting noticed but fill us up from within. Lastly, spending time in nature leads to self-love and awareness that we are a part of something greater than ourselves.

What do decide to do?

• I listen to my body. When it tells me it is in pain, then I need to address the pain immediately.
• I revisit my best practices. Moving has helped alleviate the old pain in the body, fermented foods cleansed those nasty smells, and the right foods improved my moods.
• Things that have proven to help me alleviate pains or discomforts throughout the years are my personal antidote.
• I return to nature. Connecting to the earth’s energies and feminine energy grounded me in ways that no other method could offer.
• I re-jig my daily routine now and again just to check if those same routines are weighing down on my physical and mental health.