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Mindset Matters Module

Nature

Recent evidence has proven that spending time in nature increases individuals' well-being and overall happiness (Labier, 2018). A 2017 study completed from the University of British Columbia examined the effect of immersion in nature upon the overall sense of well-being of participants. The study involved grouping individuals into three groups. The first group was instructed to take time to engage in the natural world and document how they felt while encountering it. The second group was instructed to focus on observations of human-made objects and the third did neither. The results were “the difference in participants’ well-being—their happiness, sense of elevation, and their level of connectedness to other people, not just nature—was significantly higher in the group who focused on engaging in nature compared to participants in the group noticing how human-built objects made them feel and the control group (The University of British Columbia, 2017).” Therefore, just being aware of your natural surroundings can be beneficial to your resilience. Taking time to go for a short walk can increase your mood.