The 5 Ways to Wellbeing are principles and things we can all do to help boost our mental and physical health. They have been used by the NHS and many other health organisations and charities as key pillars of wellbeing. They are; Take Notice, Connect, Be Active, Keep Learning and Give.

I suspect many of you already feel a deep sense of connection to nature but this article is about exploring new ways for you as an individual to connect with nature. Discover new things you can try to help switch on your senses and really connect.

Connect with nature this Mental Health Awareness Week and see how time outdoors can benefit your wellbeing and stress levels. 

Here are a few summer tips to help you:

1. Turn your body to the sunshine – feel the warmth that it brings and see if you can relax your shoulders, close your eyes and enjoy a minute or two of the warmth.
    
2. Find a spot outdoors or indoors by a window, close your eyes and listen. See if you can pick out different natural and non-natural sounds around you. Can map them in your mind - where was the car sound, where was that bird, which tree rustled in the wind?
    
3. Ground yourself. Feel the grass beneath your feet, splash in a puddle or dip your toes in a stream. Feeling the texture of the earth is a wonderful reminder that we are all connected to nature.
    
4. Get active and complete a rainbow challenge – see if you can find each colour of the rainbow in nature. Take a gentle walk around the garden, park or other green space and challenge yourself to spot each colour. If, like me, you forget what you have already found, take some photos of each item on your phone. You could even create a photo collage of the shades you found.

Tuning into our senses helps calm our nervous system and allows us to tune in and appreciate the natural world in new ways.

We would love to hear about the ways you have chosen to connect with nature – why not share them with us over social media or by email to marketing@wkwt.org.uk.