Learn from nature

"Nature is our biggest ally and our greatest inspiration."

David Attenborough said in 'David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet'

Nature is our home and our source. Nature connects everything around us. Nature is a great teacher, and we can all learn from nature’s various lessons. Here are a number of lessons:

1. Give in. Trust and let go.

Nature, in its most genuine way, constantly changes and transforms. Nature trusts in its own evolution and transformation, and knows that, no matter the changes it goes through, she will find a way to be reborn.

Same as nature we are going through constant changes. However, unlike nature, we are less open to change. We fear the unknown. We fear ourselves.

By daring to change and welcoming transformation we can experience life and what it has to offer us for our own evolution and self-discovery. Be curious. Trust that the experiences you are living are here to guide you towards living in accordance with your authentic self.

Berlin (DE) - April 2022

2. Be connected within. Listen to your intuition.

Nature knows what it is best for her to survive, thrive and grow. She finds perfect balance within - responds to the plants’ needs by taking in the necessary amounts of sunlight and water or provides for the feed required by the animals. To her ever changing feature, it always finds the necessary response.

As humans, we often live life on auto-pilot, and are disconnected from ourselves and the world around. We fail to connect within and listen to our own intuition. We do not understand our feelings and emotions, and live a life guided by socio-politico-cultural-geographical customs. We fail to see that everything we need to be happy is within us.

Same as nature, we can also have a balanced life. Through healing, listening to our intuition, and developing a growth mindset, we will be able to understand our emotions, triggers, values and intentions. Take a moment to understand how you really feel and figure out what needs to be addressed and healed. Are you living on auto-pilot and letting old patterns or unconscious developed behaviors run your life?

3. Your uniqueness makes you beautiful

It is often said that nature is an artist. Nature has great variety of plants, animals, soils, mountains, fields, rivers, seas, shores, and so on. In their unique way, they are creating art and please our senses.

Similarly, you are also the artist of your own life and you are unique. Chances that another human being will be born having the same composition as yours are almost none. Celebrate your uniqueness. Crazily and weirdly love it and love yourself. Embrace your uniqueness and express it.

Staying in the box you were put in will not benefit you and the world’s transformation and evolution, leaving and feeling in your unique way will.

4. Connection and teamwork

Nature’s components (animals, plants, landscapes and other features which do not include human creations) are connected and they have an impact on each other. Together, they continuously contribute to theirs and nature’s development and constant transformation.

Same as nature’s elements, we are all connected. The relationships we have with our family, friends, co-workers or the small interactions we have with strangers, on a smaller or bigger scale, they all influence our growth and development. In our daily run, we forget to or do not know how to nurture the connections we have with others. Creating conscious and meaningful connections, and collaborating with others, can bring great benefits in everyone’s life journey.

5. Resilience.

No matter the adversities it suffers, nature keeps on surviving, and adapting. Whether there has been a deforestation, sooner or later, new trees will slowly grow. Where it has been a drought, once it receives water, the soil will start to be more fertile and sprout new life and provide food for animals.

In our way to achieve a goal or fulfill a dream – be it professional or personal – we often classify as failures every rejection or unexpected turn of events. These will often lead to giving up and losing trust. We do not see in such events an opportunity for starting over anew. We do not perceive such events as growth, redirection or just a stop on the way to finding and receiving something better that we thought we want or can.

Start with acknowledging and accepting what you encounter on your way to achieving a goal. Learn from these. After that, move forward, adjust, if necessary, your strategy to achieving your goal or dream, and do not give up. It is achievable.

6. Take your time. Have patience

Sierra de Bernia (ES) - May 2022

Whether is bursting into life and putting on buds on the branches, starting to protect its soil when it gets cold enough, or letting go of its leaves, nature patiently waits for the right time. All the necessary changes and transformations do not happen in haste or before the time is right.

We leave in a fast-paced society. Constantly working late hours and no time to enjoy your free time, is praised. Our schedule is so full that we do not have time to stop and connect. We rush into relationships. We take decisions in haste. We are constantly running. Once we achieve what we want (or thought we want), we immediately move on to the next thing. We want to achieve everything yesterday and have the rewards now. We compare our stories with the ones of others.

While there might be times when our schedule will be full for various reasons, do not make this as a rule of your life.

Take time to be more fully present (this is one of Oprah’s sayings). Make time for yourself. Observe and integrate the emotions and feelings. Watch more sunrises and sunsets. Look how the waterfall hits the rocks. Feel the sun on your skin and the wind blow on your face.

Have patience with yourself and others. Be kind to yourself and others, and trust in your own timing.

7. What you give, is what you receive.

Nature runs in cycles and eventually everything comes back around. Every action comes with a natural consequence.

The ‘what goes around comes back around' principle is present in our actions. The energy, the support, or the love you give it will be mirrored back at you in different shapes. Same applies to the negligent attitude towards the environment or people around you.

8. There is a purpose in everything and everyone.

In nature everything has a purpose. Each one of nature’s components has a purpose – water and soil help plants grow, or the sea is home for a variety of aquatic life. Their common purpose is to preserve the habitat and ecosystem, and their balance.

Same as nature, we are also having a purpose. Tune in. Live as consciously and connected within and you will be guided towards it.

These lessons intertwine and we can see them playing during different times in our lives.

There are not many certainties in life, but one thing is certain - we are similar to nature. With seasons. With sunrises and sunsets. With birds leaving one season to come back the next or never return. With love and fear. We all grow and shrink. We all create happiness and sadness. We all hurt. We all regenerate (if only metaphorically speaking for us humans).

Spend time in nature. Observe it. Learn from it.

Lanzarote island (ES) - May 2022

Have a great weekend and a happy summer!

Love,

Flori