Written by Sarah Kiminski- Guest Contributor
Gardening is an incredible hobby that can help your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. And while it’s somehow associated with little old ladies living in quaint British villages in most of our minds thanks to a plethora of TV shows, you can experience its benefits at any age.
Here’s why you should consider gardening as a way to feed your soul:
It Connects You to Nature
Spending time in nature is incredibly healing. It improves our lung health and reduces our blood pressure; it’s great for our immune system and magnificent for our soul.
Gardening is a good excuse to spend time outdoors, if you ever needed one. Whether or not you are being physically active or just looking at the fruits of your labor, you will start to feel better the more time you spend surrounded by plants.
It Reduces Stress
Tending to a garden is a great way to reduce everyday stress. Focusing on something in your immediate present and doing something with your hands will help ease your mind and ground you.
This can help reduce both anxiety and overthinking, and it may even be able to help with depression. Even if your mental health is sound to begin with, you will feel a lightness after a bout of gardening.
It’s Good for Your Physical Health
Gardening is also a great physical exercise. It will boost your strength, endurance, and flexibility. Even though it might not seem like a lot, it’s a great way to stay in shape. It will also improve your cardiovascular health and lower your blood pressure. It’s also great for bone health.
Bear in mind that you can get sore and even injured while gardening. So, ease into it slowly and don’t try to do too much all at once.
It Provides a Fresh Source of Nutrition
There really is nothing quite like eating a meal you have grown yourself. When you first bring your own produce into the kitchen, the sense of pride and joy will be a refreshing and rejuvenating reward for all your hard work.
Since you are growing the fruits and veggies yourself, you’ll also be able to make sure they are organic. You’ll know exactly what’s going into your body. In that way, gardening can also significantly improve your health by providing a ready source of nutrients.
It’s Easy to Get into
Gardening is by no means a simple hobby. Even taking care of your lawn can be a complex and interesting process if you choose to take a bit of interest in it.
However, it’s not very difficult to get into gardening, as there are so many resources and communities available. You don’t have to do a lot, either, if you want to start small. You can grow some herb in your kitchen window and experience the joys of gardening without having to commit to a full veg patch right off the bat.
You Can Do It Anywhere
While gardening is best when you have an actual garden to tend to, you can enjoy all of its benefits even if you live in a small flat. You can grow herbs in your kitchen, as we’ve mentioned, or you can grow flowers in hanging baskets on your terrace.
Having a bit of greenery in your home will be good for your mind and soul too. It’s a way to keep in touch with nature, even if you don’t have a patch of lawn and a little veg patch to call your own.
It’s Great for Your Self-Esteem
Growing something from scratch is also a great way to boost your confidence and feeling of self-worth. It will make you feel more accomplished and more sure of yourself.
If you are just starting out, choose plants that are easy to take care of and that are likely to do well in your area. As you get more adept and your fingers get greener, you can expand into more challenging projects.
It Connects You with Others
Gardening also happens to be a great way to meet people. You don’t even need to join a gardening club. You are bound to run into a fellow gardener at the garden center, and talking about your endeavors will be a great way to bond and get to know each other.
The online gardening community is also incredibly friendly and ready to offer advice to anyone who is just starting out. Gardeners tend to be kind, relaxed, joyful people who will bring a smile to your life too.
Wrapping Up
Gardening provides that essential connection to nature which we get so little of living in a big city. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a large patch of soil to tend to. Even a couple of pots in a small home will do wonders for your spirit.
Author Bio:
Sarah is a life enjoyer, positivity seeker, and a curiosity enthusiast. She is passionate about an eco-friendly lifestyle and adores her cats. She is an avid reader who loves to travel when time allows.
The post Why Gardening Is Good for Your Soul appeared first on Red Hot Mamas.
