Environmental Self-Care
It might be useful to begin this topic by practicing a short visualization exercise. Think about a recent time you were outside in a place you enjoy or that is soothing for you in some way. What are you imagining? Is it the beach? Your backyard? A mountain trail? Perhaps you can tune into the sounds, sights, and smells of this place. What does it feel like to be there? What do you appreciate about this place? Perhaps you notice a sense of gratitude, or maybe there is some other emotion arising. It may be that this place in nature that you’ve identified serves you in some way - whether that is providing nourishment, soothing, a sense of calm, or fresh air.
Now you might shift your visualization to a place you are in regularly. This might be another location outdoors, or maybe you imagine a space in your home, your work, or maybe a favorite coffee shop. If you can, allow yourself to envision a place that is familiar and comforting. Again, notice if you can tune into the sounds, sights, and smells of this place. How is the lighting? Is it soft or bright? How is the temperature? What colors are around you? Are there things within this environment that are aesthetically pleasing or provide a sense of ease for you?
We have a bi-directional relationship with the natural world and our environment. It impacts us, and we impact it. This is true whether it is a beloved place in nature, our bedroom, or the grocery store. The spaces we inhabit have an impact on our nervous systems and our sense of well-being.
In my conceptualization of environmental wellness, I think of this domain of self-care as having two dimensions: (1) taking care of your global environment and (2) being mindful of your personal surroundings.
Environmental self-care includes:
Feeling physically safe (the caveat that I will briefly mention here is that there are a variety of reasons why people may not feel physically safe, and changing the environment is not always an option or is not always the root of the problem; there are many factors beyond just our environment that contribute to the feeling of physical safety)
Being in safe and clean surroundings
Having access to clean air, food, and water
Being in pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being
Being in natural places that promote learning, contemplation, and relaxation
It is worth noting here that having choice over your environment is a form of privilege. You may or may not be in a position where you have the freedom to choose where you live or where you spend much of your time. There are a variety of important reasons why people may not have the luxury to tend to all of their environmental self-care needs in the way they may wish to. Please keep this in mind as you read further, and know that if there are barriers beyond your control that prevent you from experiencing environmental wellness, I am holding compassionate space for this experience and I encourage you to extend words of self-compassion to yourself as well. This caveat around the privilege of tending to our self-care needs extends to all domains, and while we may not all be in the privileged position of fully attending to every need we have at all times, there may be small ways we can make our spaces feel just a bit safer or more comfortable.
Environmental self-care can include contributing - time, energy, or other resources - to environmental causes you care about, such as cleaning your local beach, picking up trash while you’re on a walk, or working to limit the amount of single-use plastics you use in your home. Environmental self-care also includes creating physical spaces where you feel safe and nourished. This involves understanding your needs - both on a conscious level, but also on the level of your nervous system. If you engaged in the visualization at the beginning, you might consider what themes came up in the spaces you visualized. What kind of sensory input does your nervous system require? Do you enjoy being in loud spaces or quiet spaces? Do you feel safest when you have low lighting, or do you prefer bright, overhead lights? What kinds of smells make you feel at home? Tuning into your nervous system’s response to your environment will help you make decisions about how to nurture this aspect of your self-care.
Some ways to engage in environmental self-care might be:
Recycling
Turning off the water while you brush your teeth
Using reusable utensils and straws
Changing your scenery by taking a different route home, finding a new walking trail, or exploring your local natural areas
De-cluttering your home
Decorating your space to suit your personal style and preferences
Adding a houseplant to your home or office
What do you do to engage in environmental self-care? Drop it in the comments below!
For more information, please check out the article Burnt Out? From Wilted to Holistic Wellness, from which some of this information has been gathered.
