How Looking at Nature Helps When You’re Overwhelmed

Have you ever felt overwhelmed—like there’s so much happening in your head that you don’t even know where to start? Feeling overwhelmed isn’t a weakness or a failure. It’s your mind asking you to slow down and step back. Screens, noise, decisions, pressure… they stack up, and suddenly even the small things feel huge.

As I mentioned in Lessons Wildlife Has Taught Me: To Be Present, (find it here) after a hard day at school I felt myself needing to get out of the house and breathe. That walk changed everything. It shifted my perspective—and now here I am, writing about it.

Walking through a local nature reserve, a field, or along a river or lake helps you notice things you’d normally miss. A bird call. The wind in the grass. The way light moves across water. As you start noticing, your muscles soften and your breathing deepens—without you even trying.

You don’t need to “understand” nature for it to help. Simply looking and taking it in is enough.

In 2021, the Mental Health Foundation researched the connection between nature and mental health. They found that 45% of people in the UK said visiting green spaces—like parks—helped them cope during the pandemic. That connection hasn’t gone anywhere. Find the report here.

Even now, when I’m feeling low, I grab my camera and head out. I walk, listen, observe, and take the occasional photo. By the time I’m done, everything that felt tangled in my mind has loosened. I can move forward with a clearer plan.

You can do this too. Simple ways to connect with the outdoors include listening closely, engaging your senses, interacting gently with your surroundings, and walking slowly. You don’t need hours—twenty minutes around your local area is enough. Look at the birds, the trees, the sky, the small things.

And if you don’t want to go alone, bring a friend or family member. Or chat with others who are out enjoying nature. I’ve met some wonderful people in hides over the years, just by asking what they’ve seen.

Nature carries on regardless—hour by hour, day by day. Why not step into it and experience it for yourself?