Nature Gratitude: Reflections

Gratitude has two parts. The first is simply observing and noticing things around us. The second is expressing thankfulness for those things we have observed.

Gratitude may be as simple as noticing the fall leaves and being thankful for the beauty they bring. Or more complex as watching a honey bee gather pollen from a flower and being thankful to that insect for producing the honey you put in your morning tea.

What Is Nature Gratitude?

Nature gratitude focuses on being thankful and appreciating all that the natural world has to share with us.

When we observe, ponder, and make connections we deepen our relationship with the planet.

For instance, I recently wrote an article on wasps. We don’t often have warm fuzzy feelings for wasps but by going out and observing wasps, pondering their ecological importance, I came away very grateful for them in my life.

Nature is based on reciprocal relationships. Think about a wild plum tree. It needs bees to pollinate the flowers. In turn, it produces fruit. The fruit doesn’t feed the tree. It feeds the wildlife who live nearby. The wildlife in turn poops in the woods and fertilizes the soil.

We can be part of these relationships by observing, pondering, and expressing thankfulness.

How Do You Show Gratitude Towards Nature?

Learning to Observe

Today’s children and many young adults have grown up in a concrete jungle. We need to teach ourselves to notice things.

In my science classes, I have often done a 3-minute challenge to teach observation skills. I will ask the students to list a specific things such as:
Find all the orange things in the room.

If we are outside I might say:

Find 3 different tree species

The more you look, the more you find.

I’m training my brain to notice wildness and this then becomes a habit.

Now you are ready for the next step. After learning to observe, you need to ponder. This is where journaling is such a wonderful tool. (more on journaling below)

It's more than just noting the things that you see, it’s more than just creating a species list or taking note of the weather, you have to tune into how they make you feel, what are the reciprocal relationships?

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ”

— Albert Einstein

4 Simple Gratitude Activities For Families

1. Go On a Gratitude Scavenger Hunt

Take a walk around your neighborhood, the park, or a local beach. Look for nature happening. For example, I’m grateful for this rotten log because it is a home for insects and it’s fun to climb on.

2. Protect Nature

Awe + Gratitude = Protection

When we experience awe and gratitude it leads us to feel protection towards our environment. This may be as simple as picking up any trash you see while on your walk. Or you may rope off a ducks nest in spring so that the babies are safe.

3. Give Back By Planting A Tree Or A Pollinator Garden

Give back to nature by providing more nature. Plant a tree or some flowers. If you live in an urban area without a yard join the Sierra Club or other environmental organizations in your area. They often have tree planting excursions.

4. Feed The Wildlife

There is a right and wrong way to do this! We don’t want to spread diseases as in the case of dirty birdfeeders or encourage animals in a way that sets them up for human conflict. Read our article Feeding Wildlife in Winter to learn more.

Photo by Ame Vanorio

Nature Journaling

As a writer, I have always kept journals and it was through these journals that I was able to not just pinpoint my triggers but also the things that helped.

Scrolling back through these lengthy pages I could pinpoint a mood improvement when I connected with nature. Not just when I journaled outside but when I really began to make connections.

Train yourself to notice, start a nature journal and list the things you can see from your window, the things you see on the way to work or on your lunch break.

When I am in the car I have an activity where I say (out loud) 10 things that I observe that I am grateful for. This helps me to be more positive and typically brightens my mood.

Its never too early to get your kids journaling, drawing and observing nature!

We all know that nature is good for us. There have been countless studies, endless papers, and masses of articles written on the subject. How it can reduce blood pressure, ease our stress, encourage us to exercise, and enhance our mental wellbeing.

Release Your Work Tension

In our busy work life, it can often be hard to get outside. However, even a short 5-10 minute break outdoors can help relieve stress and enhance gratitude levels. Go outside and stand in a green space.

Take some deep breaths and notice how your body changes; how the tension releases, your shoulders soften, your head hurts less, and your thoughts steady. Be grateful for this release.

Productivity is valued as a good work ethic in our jobs. However, that productivity often has us tied to technology. A cell phone or Chromebook is always on our person.

For our well-being, we must disconnect and find time in nature. Read our blog on Forest Bathing to learn more about how you can benefit from being in a natural place.

Sometimes when I am in school all day I get tired and cranky from just being indoors. I’m not exactly productive and definitely not healthy. So I give myself a recess time-out for a few minutes when I have a break and feel rejuvenated.

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Learn more about deer. Photo by Ame Vanorio

If you do one thing today, I urge you to make a short list of the things in nature you are grateful for. Start there, with these few short things, perhaps it’s the sound of rain on your window, or the birds that visit your garden, it might include the flowers you see on your way to work.

Whatever these things are, write them down and then look for more.

I guarantee if you carve out a little time each day to find something natural to be grateful for, then your life will be all the richer for it, and believe me there is so much out there to be grateful for, I doubt you’ll ever run out of ideas.