October can give you a simple reason to slow down. As the season changes, you may spend more time outdoors, walk through a local park or simply sit under a tree. You can turn those everyday moments into a mindfulness practice.
According to Mayo Clinic, mindfulness does not require special equipment or a long meditation session. You can practise it while walking, standing or sitting, and being outdoors can help awaken your senses.
What is outdoor mindfulness?
Outdoor mindfulness means paying attention to what you experience around you without judging it. Instead of letting your thoughts race ahead, you bring your attention back to what you can see, hear, smell and feel.
Mayo Clinic recommends using your senses to notice your surroundings and staying present with the moment.
Try this simple nature practice
You don’t need a forest or hiking trail. A nearby park, garden or quiet street can work.
Step outside: Put your phone away for a few minutes.
Slow your pace: Walk without rushing toward a destination.
Notice what you see: Look at the trees, sky, leaves, flowers or buildings around you.
Listen: Notice birds, traffic, wind or other sounds.
Feel: Pay attention to the temperature of the air and the ground beneath your feet.
Take three slow breaths: Follow each breath without trying to change it.
Come back when your mind wanders: Notice the thought, then gently return your attention to your surroundings.
Also Read Harvard says tai chi walking is a simple way to practise mindfulness while you move. Here’s how
Why Mayo Clinic recommend mindfulness outdoors?
Mayo Clinic says outdoor mindfulness can awaken your senses. The practice can also help you reconnect with the present instead of staying caught in planning, worrying or repetitive thoughts.
Mayo Clinic also recently highlighted local parks and green spaces as places where you can move, rest and connect with nature. It suggests creating your own simple nature plan, such as walking around a nearby park for 15 minutes.
How to make this a daily ritual?
You can keep it simple. Pick one outdoor spot and visit it regularly this month. You might walk after work, sit outside with your morning coffee or spend a few quiet minutes watching the sunset.
You don’t need to force yourself to feel calm. Your only job is to notice what is happening around you. Mayo Clinic notes that even short moments of mindfulness can help you pause and reconnect with the present.
