“Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” — Charles Spurgeon

For most of April, for various reasons, I have had what has felt like a ball fo anxiety sitting heavily around my heart area. I won’t lie, it’s been a truly horrible feeling and not one that I’m used to. There have been a few factors at the core of all this anxiety and it seemed like the more I thought about them, the more powerful that ball of anxiety became. Each time I let my mind race, I was essentially feeding the beast. All those racing thoughts were contributing to the growth and power of the anxiety.

“There are moments when all anxiety and stated toil are becalmed in the infinite leisure and repose of nature.” - Henry David Thoreau

This Saturday just gone, I packed a rucksack with a book and some water and headed for my spiritual home - the woods. The time had come to get out of my head. With each step I took on the pine needle littered path, I became fully aware of everything around me; the sun rays through the branches, the gentle breeze, the birds singing, the snap of twigs underfoot, the budding trees, the colours around me. Everything. I was mindful. I was totally in the moment. And, thankfully, you can’t be completely in the moment and stuck in your head at the same time. I found a quiet bench by the lake and I lost myself in a book.

I left those woods feeling calmer, clearer and rejuvinated. I needed that reminder. When your thoughts are causing chaos in your body, you can always turn to Mother Nature for peace and inspiration.

I’ll leave you with some recent photographs from another beautiful walk in nature :)