Most people in the U.S. spend much of their day staring at a screen of some sort, even at the expense of their overall health and wellbeing.
However, some members of the Pepperdine community are resisting the tendency to allow their smartphones and other online media to distract them from what truly matters. Instead, they are choosing to reconnect with the world around them by immersing themselves regularly in nature to revive their bodies and spirits in a more holistic way.
“I’ve found getting outside is the best way to clear my mind and decompress, whether it’s from a busy day or a particularly stressful situation,” said Daniel Goldstein, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School MBA candidate. “It’s almost a meditative experience once I get into the hiking groove.”
Connecting to Nature
Spending time in nature can decrease anxiety and stress, lower blood pressure, lower cortisol levels, enhance focus, improve mental health, elevate mood, improve sleep and boost the immune system by increasing the essential nutrient of Vitamin D, which is necessary for maintaining healthy bones, according to a UC Davis Health article.
“When you are in nature, it is naturally calming the mind and the nervous system,” said Lori-Ann Speed, transformational healer, facilitator and clairvoyant. “Connecting to earth energy helps us to feel grounded and balanced. There is a peace in nature that is ever present. All we need to do is deeply listen and our nervous system matches it. When we deeply listen and feel nature, we match the vibration of nature. The vibration — energy of nature — is deeply healing and balancing.”
Goldstein said his passion for exploring the outdoors through his love of hiking helps him recenter.
“Hiking is my favorite outdoor activity,” Goldstein said. “It’s my favorite way to exercise, clear my mind and also get outside, even during busy times.”
Payton Thompson, another Pepperdine Graziadio Business School MBA candidate, said she refused to let her devices drain her energy or affect her mental health.
“Snowboarding is my favorite outdoor activity that helps me reconnect with nature and myself,” Thompson said. “It is my favorite because it is very physical and technical and helps to get me to live in the moment. It also gets me off my phone and to spend quality time with friends and family.”
Michelle Varju (‘03), a Pepperdine alumna, homeschool teacher and Moorpark resident, said she finds spending time outdoors is the perfect solution to stress.
“If it has been a long day at work, I love to sit outside in my swing with an iced coffee so I can feel the breeze on my face and legs,” Varju said. “If I’m hiking, it makes me feel so small, like the things that are stressing me out really aren’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things.”
Disconnecting from Technology to Recharge
Society is shifting toward a global trend of urban living, combined with an ever-increasing reliance on technology that is causing time spent outdoors to decrease, even though the evidence scientists are gathering supports “the value of getting out into the natural world,” according to an American Psychological Association article.
Smartphones may be a large focal point in the lives of many individuals, however, “it might be time to set boundaries or delete a few apps,” according to an article on Mindful, a wellness website.
Although some find it challenging to disconnect entirely while outdoors, Varju said she experiences more peace when she fully “unplugs.”
“Most of the time, I try to disconnect from technology,” Varju said. “I think it adds to my stress when I’m connected. I hate that as a society we have to rely so much on our phones.”
Utilizing nature as a way to temporarily untether themselves from technology, Varju, Goldstein and Thompson said they recharge their batteries by being outdoors and connecting with the elements.
“Spending time in nature is one of the best ways to decompress for me,” Goldstein said. “I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and have always found peace in the outdoors.”
Thompson said she focuses on gratitude while spending time outdoors.
“Being outside in nature is what it is all about for me,” Thompson said. “We are so lucky to be here, and I feel that it is my responsibility to enjoy it. There is nothing better than a sunny warm day at the beach. Spending time outside is so important for us. Sometimes it is well-planned trips to the mountains or a sailing trip, but more often it is just doing my reading outside.”
Thompson said focusing on the present moment is what truly leads her to finding an ever-present calmness inside.
“I feel that living in the moment is the best way to gain inner peace,” Thompson said. “I also feel like while I am in nature I am always learning, and I value lifelong learning.”
Varju said she loves to bask in the sunlight, dreaming about being “somewhere over the rainbow” and letting her worries melt away.
“Being in nature allows me to put everything else aside and live in the moment,” Varju said. “Everything on my list of things to do can wait. Spending time in nature does my body good and I feel myself breathe deeply, which feels so satisfying.”
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Contact Karma Christine Salvato via email: karma.salvato@pepperdine.edu
