Wellbeing Resources

This collection of activities and resources to support wellbeing was created as part of our Women for Wellbeing programme, funded by the Scottish Government’s Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.

Numerous studies demonstrate the benefits of nature connection for wellbeing.

You can support your wellbeing by spending time in nature and by using any of the following techniques.

Breath work

Our sympathetic nervous system frequently gets triggered into a “fight/flight” response by the stresses of daily life, causing physical reactions in the body, such as increased heart rate. In the short term, this can induce feelings of anxiety or panic and, in the longer term, can lead to physical health problems.

By slowing down our breathing, we can activate our parasympathetic, or “rest and digest” nervous system. This slows down our heart rate and soothes our emotions.

Here are some videos to demonstrate belly breathing and square breathing.

Simply by being in nature our heart rate slows down, so practicing techniques which support wellbeing, in a therapeutic, natural environment, increases the benefits to wellbeing even more.

Mindfulness

Try taking a mindful walk, in nature. Leave your phone at home. Slow down. Notice what’s around you. Observe the seasonal changes on a walk you do regularly.

Find a sit-spot and allow yourself to just be, for five minutes, or longer. Use all of your senses to take in what’s around you.

Find out more here.

Meditation

The benefits of meditation include reduced stress, improved memory and concentration, lowered blood pressure, reduced anxiety and depression. There are numerous apps with free guided meditations for example, Insight Timer.

Creativity

It can be easier to shut off the chatter in your head, when you are focussed on doing something creative, such as whittling or crafting. Create a natural mandala or a stone tower; simple activities, requiring only the natural resources around you.

Check out the work of Andy Goldsworthy for inspiration.

Journalling

Allowing your thoughts to flow out onto the page can be a great way to gain clarity, perspective or insight. For more information on the how and why of journalling, as well as prompts, check out this page.

Gratitude

Or simply use your journal for a daily gratitude practice. Focussing on what you’re grateful for is like a magic potion to improve wellbeing. It shifts thoughts away from the negative towards the positive, leading to a release of serotonin and dopamine, chemicals in the brain that are associated with happiness and pleasure. 

A regular gratitude practice can result in better sleep, improved focus, reduced stress and lower blood pressure.