Managing Anxiety Using Scenes of Nature

Many people living in New York City have a love/hate relationship with their environment. On one hand, New York City is an exciting place that always has something entertaining to offer. Yet, on the other hand, living in “the city that never sleeps” can be exhausting. Having to navigate daily through packed trains, loud streets, and crowds of pedestrians can have a negative toll on our mental health and wellness over time. This is especially true if we are already struggling with anxiety and stress. Managing anxiety and stress while also having to live in a fast-paced and hectic city may sometimes even feel like an impossible task. One thing that might help you manage your anxiety and stress in this busy city is to use scenes of nature to help you momentarily escape the noise and enter a serene state of mind.

The benefits of scenes of nature

When you think of peaceful environments, what sort of images pop into your head? Chances are you think of natural landscapes, such as calming green forests, serene mountains, a quiet lake, or a breezy ocean. What you most likely did not imagine was a parking lot, MTA train, or crowded street – and there is a very good reason for this! Throughout history, humans have spent more time in nature than not, and so it makes sense that we enjoy being in green spaces and feeling connected to nature. Research has shown that exposure to natural landscapes is linked to positive effects on mental health and wellbeing. This includes recovery from stress and mental fatigue and faster recovery from physical illness. Urban landscapes have an opposite effect, negatively impacting our wellbeing. Activities spent in natural environments filled with the color green and views of water also have a positive effect on self-esteem and mood.

Finding your scenes of nature

If you’re interested in managing anxiety, it would make sense that exposure to natural landscapes would be a great way to achieve that. However, finding that calming place may be difficult when you live in a densely populated urban environment. Fortunately there are a couple of things that you can do to help identify a scene of nature that works for you:

1.  Think of various natural environments or scenes that speak to you and that you find the most calming. Examples would be a forest with a soothing waterfall or a warm beach.
2. Once you have a nature scene in mind, see how easily you can physically access that space. Is it possible for you to take a weekend trip out of the city to reach your scene?
3. If it is not possible to physically be in that environment, is there an alternative that is easier to access? For example, you might not be able to get to the forest every day, but perhaps a walk through Central Park might work.

If you cannot physically reach your scene of nature or anything close to it, there are still other options available for you:

1.  Find aesthetically pleasing photographs depicting your scene of nature and put them in places you might need them. This could mean having a framed photo in your office, or changing your computer’s background to that specific scene.
2. Visually imagine the scene with full details, including the sounds, smells, and colors you might experience when in that environment. Picture yourself in that scene and sit with that calming presence until you feel centered.

Fortunately, research has suggested that photos or imagery related to natural landscapes can be just as positive for our health as actually being in that environment. So do not worry if you cannot physically reach your scene of nature. Often times, just conjuring the image in mind or looking at a photo will be enough to help you manage your anxiety and stress.

Read more: Manage Emotional Stress with Distraction- Not Avoidance

Using your scenes of nature to manage anxiety

Once you have your scene of nature defined, you can start to use the imagery to manage your anxiety. To do this, whenever you feel overwhelmed or anxious by the day’s events, see if you can take some time to sit with yourself and pause briefly. Imagine yourself in that environment, and pay attention to all of the details that you can. How does the sand at the beach feel on your feet? How does the waterfall behind you sound? What do the trees smell like? Try to identify as many sensory details as you can. Throughout this, focus on your breathing, and try to ground yourself through the experience. Once you feel calm and centered, prepare to return to the real world and leave your scene of nature, knowing that you can always return whenever needed.

Our environment impacts our mental health every day. Since the city environment can negatively impact our health and lead to increased anxiety, then it makes sense that scenes of nature can help us to manage that anxiety. Hopefully these tips will help you find your own scenes of nature so you can find some tranquility in this fast-paced city.

How do you use nature or natural imagery to calm yourself? Join the conversation in the comments below!