Do you remember the last time you felt truly free? Perhaps it was as a child, climbing trees or collecting leaves, before the weight of endless obligations and others' expectations settled on your shoulders. If you're constantly running on empty, saying "yes" when you want to say "no," and feeling like you're somehow not enough despite doing everything for everyone else – you're not alone.
The Nature-Confidence Connection
Nature has an extraordinary way of showing us what authentic living looks like. When we step away from our screens and endless to-do lists, something remarkable happens: we begin to breathe differently, move differently and think differently too!. The constant chatter of imposter syndrome – that nagging voice questioning whether we deserve our successes – grows quieter under the rustle of leaves.
Think about it: have you ever seen a flower apologise for blooming?
Or a river feel guilty for choosing its own path?
Nature offers us beautiful lessons in setting boundaries and embracing our authentic selves.
Learning from Nature's Wisdom
Consider the mighty oak tree. It doesn't overextend its branches beyond what its roots can support. It drops leaves in autumn without guilt, knowing this act of self-preservation is essential for survival. The oak teaches us that setting boundaries isn't selfish – it's necessary for growth and strength.
Breaking Free from the People-Pleasing Pattern
Amongst Nature, in my nature-based coaching sessions, you’ ’ll soon see how the surroundings help us recognise these patterns in ourselves. When you stand beneath a vast sky or beside ancient trees, your problems don't necessarily shrink, but our perspective of how to deal with them shifts. You begin to see how your constant availability and people-pleasing aren't serving your growth – just as a plant can't thrive if it's constantly being pruned to please others' aesthetics.
The seasons remind us that there are natural cycles of giving and retreat. Winter isn't less valuable than summer; it's a necessary time for restoration. Similarly, your need for rest and boundaries isn't a character flaw – it's an essential part of your wellbeing.
Reconnecting with Your Wild Self
Here are some reflective questions to help you rediscover your natural wisdom.
Find a quiet spot outdoors, or with a view to Nature through your window and consider:
1. When was the last time you felt completely free in nature? What were you doing, and how did it feel in your body?
2. If you were an element in nature (river, mountain, tree, wind), what would you be? What qualities of that element do you admire but haven't allowed yourself to embody?
3. What boundaries do you observe in nature that inspire you? How might these inform your own boundary-setting?
4. What would your childhood self, who loved collecting rocks or chasing butterflies, think about how you're living now?
The Path Forward
Coaching in and with Nature, isn't about adding another item to your to-do list. It's about helping you return to a way of being that you've always known, deep down. It's about remembering that you, too, are a force of nature – not a computer program meant to run continuously without rest.
Coaching in Nature allows us to work together alongside the ultimate teacher. Every rustling leaf, every determined seedling pushing through concrete, the streams and rivers carving their own path – they all remind us of our innate right to grow, to rest, to say no, and to flourish in our own unique way.
Start small. Take one meeting outside this week. Spend five minutes watching clouds instead of scrolling through emails. Listen to the birds instead of your inner critic. Nature isn't something you need to earn or deserve – but it is precious - and it's waiting to remind you of who you've always been.
Remember: like every other living thing in nature, you don't need to justify your existence or apologise for taking up space. You're not an imposter in this world – just as Nature isn't other. We are all part of a whole.
Your wild spirit is still there, waiting patiently like a seed in winter. Perhaps it's time to let it bloom.
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#Nature #ecopsychology #MentalHealth #Confidence #ImposterSyndrome #Wellbeing #Boundaries #NatureConnection
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