On Friday, March 13th, it was the day we knew the schools were shutting down and we were going into quarantine for who knew how long. (We’re still in it, for the most part!) I am sure most of you can relate to what that felt like.
I needed to figure out how I was going to get through this challenging, stressful time. So, I decided to walk the walk and turned to all of my research and writing that focuses on how nature can help us feel happier and calmer. So, the next morning, I embarked on a 100-day Eco Happiness Challenge to get through this rough time. While this challenge helped my family and me stay calm while stuck at home, it also provided the opportunity for us to build a nature connection habit that will benefit us in the long run.
What Is Eco Happiness?
Spending time in and around nature is so beneficial to our family’s health and well-being. It calms us when we are feeling stressed and boosts our mood when we are feeling down. There are so many wonderful ways to tap into the incredible healing power of nature, from volunteering outdoors to green exercise to spending time with animals.
I created the Eco Happiness Project to focus on where nature and mental health intersect. It serves as a platform to tie together all the science and practical tools to live a happy, balanced life through nature. I also want to shine a light on why mental health should be part of the environmental movement and our daily lives, especially as we face challenges related to development, toxics, and climate change. Bottom line: we need to protect our environment for our mental health.
The Challenge
My family’s Eco happiness Challenge lasted for 100 consecutive days. You can view my daily posts on Facebook and Instagram that showcase each nature activity that we did during this time.
We smelled essential oils, drew whimsical birds, painted nature scenes, went for walks and bike rides around our neighborhood, swam in our pool, made nature-themed cards for the elderly to spread kindness, did yoga on our balcony, tried earthing for the first time, read nature poetry, enjoyed watching ducks paddling around our pool, planted seeds in our backyard, supported a local farm by purchasing a box of fresh produce, watched nature videos online such as one about hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail, and celebrated Earth Day.
Your family can join in on the challenge by grabbing your FREE 30-Day Eco Happiness Challenge Calendar. It is filled with fun and relaxing activities for your family to enjoy together without even leaving your own neighborhood. All of these activities can be done from inside your home, on your balcony, or in your backyard. You can start this challenge at any time, so sign up now to get your calendar right away. It is the perfect way to stimulate your own family’s interest and creativity around nature and help you build a nature connection habit.
Learn More
During this time, I was a guest on several podcasts to talk about my family’s experience with the Eco Happiness Challenge. Check out these episodes to learn more:
Mindful Mama Mentor Podcast—The Healing Power of Nature
Sunshine Parenting Podcast—The Eco Happiness Challenge
Apparently Parent Podcast—How to Connect to Nature During COVID-19
What are your family’s favorite ways to build a nature connection habit?
Love this post!
The Eco Happiness project sounds really nice with some really simple and easy to do ideas. I am an outdoorsy person and love sunshine and often my kids join me too. Might try some of the 30-day challenge ideas 🙂
It’s so important to connect with nature, for both physical and mental benefits!
Your family’s Eco Challenge resonates with me in many ways. I place an emphasis on my son and I going for a daily walk and during this time at home we’ve started gardening and raised butterflies. I will definitely look into the 30 day challenge.
Super! Let me know how it goes.
This is so awesome! I think I’m going to try something like this with my family. I’ve personally been working on getting more connected with nature. So, now it’s time to get everyone involved!
Thank you for sharing
What a glorious thing to do. I firmly believe that being out in nature is good for the mind and the body. So many good things come from nature. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Love love what you’re doing here. Nature is a great healer and I think it’s brilliant you’re sharing this with others.
Another wonderful article and one I can relate to. Thanks so much for all the details.
This is great! I believe we could all benefit more by turning to nature. I’ve been doing my morning barefoot walk in the park not for 2 months. It’s a beautiful way to start the day.
Wonderful and helpful tips!
This is a beautiful idea. I love what it means to become intentionally connected to nature!
Nature and habits – two of my very favorite things. What a cool idea! I usually work outdoors and recreate outdoors on a daily basis. It’s tough to not be able to do either now.
Ohh! This is a great idea to connect with nature and also bring your family much more closer with nature! Hope we can find time to do this amidst the treath that this pandemic has brought us.
This is a great idea! Environmental wellness is sometimes looked over or forgotten about but plays just as big a part in our wellbeing as staying active is.
Will be utilizing these tips with my son!
I love these ideas! I really believe that being able to connect to the earth is so important to all of us. Thank you for sharing such great activities for families!
This is a fantastic idea! Everyone should be doing this to some degree, especially now.
Those sound like fun and great activities you did! I didn’t even think to do some of those. I love essential oils and wading in a pool. I might have to do that sometime this summer. Thanks for sharing – Josie xxx
That sounds like an awesome idea of things to do with my daughter – doesn’t have to be a “lock-down” to start this!
What a great idea for a challenge! My husband and I took the extra time at home to landscape our backyard by ourselves – typically we would have hired someone to do it. It was so good for us to be out in the dirt everyday for weeks on end!
This is such a great Idea. Me and my kids love been outdoors, it really does have an impact on our mental health and well being. I always feel better after a walk round our local woodland area or the beach.
Very nice post!! I am also doing something similar to this as a nature challenge.
Great post. It ties in beautifully with my reading of Thoreau today. Nature is definitely a key to have more happiness in life.
I love connecting with nature. It never was a thing when I was a kid; my parents didn’t camp or anything. Now i’m making up for it!
I’ve never really consciously made the effort to connect with nature but I always notice that the times I’ve been surrounded by nature I’ve been most at peace – so I definitely need to start scheduling in time each day to really connect with nature.
Roni
http://www.myelevatedexistence.com
This is so great! Thank you!’
I watched you do this on Instagram and loved it! Your point about the importance of preserving our natural environment for the sake of mental health is so valid, and I love that you’ve added it to the conversation. Growing up, my mother took us kids camping several times a year. Nature was a HUGE part of our life. To this day, when I’m out hiking and soaking in the peaceful beauty and vitality of nature, I think of the incredible gift she gave me in teaching me to have a habit of connecting to nature. I’m sure your children will feel the same way.
The new generation does not have the luxury of enjoying nature as it is concrete jungle all around. This should be an eye opener for all.
A good article
I love this idea!! I too have been trying to spend more time in nature. This is a great reminder! 🙂
Love this idea, with or without kids!
Thanks for sharing this! I totally agree with you. I myself want to spend more time in nature. It really is very relaxing.
MagicandBliss | https://magicandbliss.com/
What an amazing experience for your kiddos! I am jealous, haha! Would definitely love to join in on the eco-happiness challenge 🙂
I always appreciate a good podcast link
I love that you did this challenge with your family. That must have been such good quality time. I love the outdoors but I’m challenged as my husband is more of an indoor person, which I find hard. So, I need to start doing more to inspire him and if that doesn’t work get outside on my own with my pup more. Going to walk the dog now! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
This is a fantastic idea. I love giving my children authentic learning opportunities. This sounds like something perfect for us to try!
I love this!! We try to get out in nature at least 2-3 times a month. Our kids learn so much from our day trips. Thank you for all the ideas for closer to home back nature activities. Getting closer to nature definitely has a calming effect for us.
Will be utilizing these tips with my son!
I love the name. Eco Happiness. It makes me happy just thinking about this. I love connecting with nature and it makes such a difference in my life.
This sounds so interesting to do! I’ll definitely have to give this a try 😊
Really great concept and love the challenge! Time spent around trees and plants has been so very much needed this year and has helped me a lot!
It really is important to stay connected with nature during this time as it brings us so much joy, love this post!
What a lovely idea! Nature definitely helps reset things for me and my kids love time spent outdoors. Eco happiness for sure!
I liked your tips about connecting with nature especially the nature poetry. Great post!
I love this! Going outdoors with the family is so important! It’s winter here and I have a hard time convincing myself to go outside with my kids (other than the backyard) because I hate the cold but it’s definitely important to have them get some fresh air!
Love this idea! Being outdoors definitely grounds and refreshes me. Great way to engage kids in nature too. Thanks for sharing!
These are all such great ideas! My kids love being outside, and I can see the difference when they’ve been cooped up too long because of the weather. Sunshine and fresh air are wonderful things!!
We’re avid campers, and although we moved up into a travel trailer, our camping trips are intended to be times of natural escape and time together as a family. Honestly, this escape option has been one of the only things that has kept us sane through this pandemic.
We could all use a little more time with nature. Such a wonderful idea! I love all the different ways you found to connect with nature! Very creative and fun. Thanks for sharing!
Very interesting information you’ve got there! Amazing knowledge.
I definitly think I’m going to try and get out more in nature this year. We’re getting the garden one, so hopefully that encourage us.