My Favorite Way to Ward Off Anxiety–Garden Therapy

I've always had it in my heart to be more of a "green thumb." My parents always seemed to have a knack for it that I somehow failed to inherit by genetic means, unfortunately. I used to love watching them in the backyard, transforming the space into something more beautiful. Lovely.

Every spring this longing intensifies. This year, however, it's stronger. I'm quite certain I could tie this into the fact that after the last 13 months of a pandemic and going through Winter Storm Uri. But even without these realities, I deeply believe that getting outside and gardening is one of those stress-relieving therapies that is often underrated.

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I've always felt that nature is therapeutic. There's something deep within us that needs to be in touch with the earth and things that grow and move, organically. I would even daresay at least some of our issues with anxiety in the United States and other highly industrialized nations is due to having lost touch with the natural world.

Even on days when I hesitate to want to do outside and "get my hands dirty," every single time I do, I find by the end I'm less stressed, happier, and exhausted--but in a good way. Of course, that doesn't even account for the sheer joy of watching things you've planted come to life.

So, since many of us have feeling extra-anxious over the goings-on of this past year, I'm going to do my best to bring something beautiful to life--including more peace of mind.

What do you do to combat feelings of anxiety? Let us know. We'd love to hear from you.