Connecting with Nature: Finding Peace in the Great Outdoors

Maximum Life: Unlocking Your Full Potential in 2025

Excerpted from Maximum Life: Unlocking Your Full Potential Through Inner Growth, Momentum, and Impact by Iann Schonken at Amazon.com.

---

In a world that moves at the speed of Wi-Fi, it’s all too simple to forget the quiet invitation that’s always waiting just beyond the walls of our homes and offices—nature.

Whether it’s the gentle sway of trees in the wind, the warmth of sunshine on your skin, or the stillness of a quiet trail, nature has a way of restoring what the noise of life steals. It doesn’t demand anything from us. It simply offers space to breathe, to be still, and to reconnect—with creation, with ourselves, and with God.

In this edition, we explore how getting outside is not just refreshing—it’s essential. Let’s rediscover the physical, emotional, and spiritual gifts found in creation.

Why Nature Matters

Nature speaks in a language that doesn’t require translation. It doesn’t care about your schedule, your to-do list, or your screen time. It just is—and it invites you to be as well.

Spending time in nature is more than a weekend luxury. It’s a proven prescription for better health. Regular time outdoors has been linked to improved heart function, stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, and even reduced levels of stress hormones. But that’s just the beginning.

Mentally, nature brings calm. It lowers anxiety, quiets the mind, and boosts mood. There’s something healing about hearing birdsong or feeling your feet crunch along a wooded path. It pulls you out of your head and into the present moment.

Spiritually, nature has always been a place where people meet with the Divine. Whether it’s Moses on the mountain, Jesus in the wilderness, or John Muir’s poetic reflections, the wilderness has a way of re-centering the soul.

Muir put it beautifully:

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” ¹

To ignore this connection is to risk what author Richard Louv calls “nature-deficit disorder”—a term describing the mental and physical consequences of our increasing disconnection from the natural world. He warns:

“Nature-deficit disorder describes the human costs of alienation from nature, among them: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses.” ²

The takeaway? The more we connect with our environment, the more complete we feel.

Returning to the Rhythm of the Earth

We weren’t made to exist solely under artificial light, on digital timelines, or inside concrete walls. There’s something primal and healing in putting our hands in soil, standing barefoot in the grass, or watching waves crash against the shore.

Even small moments with nature can make a big difference. Take a stroll around your neighborhood. During your lunch break, consider taking a seat under a tree. You find yourself gazing at the stars on a clear night. These moments ground us.

Albert Einstein once said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” ⁵ And he was right. Nature offers perspective. In its rhythms and resilience, we’re reminded of truths we forget in the frenzy of modern life.

Ralph Waldo Emerson echoed this sentiment:

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” ⁷

And Lao Tzu followed with wisdom of his own:

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ⁸

What if returning to the natural rhythms all around us brings us the peace we seek instead of doing more?

God’s Call to Stewardship

Scripture is full of reminders that the earth is not only beautiful—it’s sacred. In Genesis 2:15, we read:

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” ³

We weren’t just created in nature—we were created for it. We were created to care for it. Our purpose is to appreciate it. The goal is to learn from it.

Psalm 24:1 makes it even clearer:

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” ⁴

Creation belongs to God. But we are stewards of it. And stewardship starts with attention. You can’t care for something you don’t notice.

When you slow down and reconnect with creation, you’re not just refreshing your mind—you’re stepping into your God-given role to care, protect, and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

Practical Ways to Reconnect

You don’t need a cabin in the mountains or a week-long camping trip to connect with nature. It starts with intentionality.

Try bringing nature into your home. Houseplants, fresh flowers, and natural materials—all of these things can help restore a sense of calm. Step outside first thing in the morning. Notice the temperature. Watch the sunrise. Smell the air. That five-minute ritual can reset your entire day.

Pursue hobbies that draw you into the natural world—gardening, hiking, birdwatching, photography. Not only do these activities connect you to creation, but they also awaken a sense of wonder.

And don’t forget to reflect. Keeping a simple nature journal—where you jot down thoughts, draw what you see, or list what you’re grateful for—helps deepen your awareness of nature’s gifts.

As Shakespeare wrote, “The earth has music for those who listen.” ⁶

So slow down. Be still. Listen.

Let Nature Shape You

Nature teaches us things that screens never will—patience, awe, humility, and resilience. It invites us to pause, to reflect, and to trust the process of growth that often happens beneath the surface.

Every time we enter nature with an open heart and open eyes, we undergo a transformation.

John Muir, one more time, said it best:

“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” ⁹

Let nature be your sanctuary. Let it be your teacher. Let it draw you back to the Creator who made it all—and made you to flourish within it.

---

1. John Muir, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_muir_108391

2. Richard Louv, “Nature-deficit disorder describes the human costs of alienation from nature, among them: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses.” Accessed July 10, 2024. https://quotefancy.com/quote/1302309/Richard-Louv-Nature-deficit-disorder-describes-the-human-costs-of-alienation-from-nature#

3. Genesis 2:15 (NIV), “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

4. Psalm 24:1 (NIV), “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

5. Albert Einstein, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/albert_einstein_106912

6. William Shakespeare, “The earth has music for those who listen.” Accessed July 10, 2024. https://checkyourfact.com/2019/09/03/fact-check-shakespeare-earth-music-those-listen/

7. Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ralph_waldo_emerson_106883

8. Lao Tzu, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_151993

9. John Muir, “Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” Accessed July 10, 2024. https://photocontest.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/detail/keep-close-to-natures-heart-and-break-clear-away-once-in-awhile-and-climb-a/

10. John Muir, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_muir_108391

---