Health / Mental well-being


GG Mason: Connecting With Nature

Take 5 for You

Five minutes can make a big difference.

For Olympic gold medalist GG Mason, spending time outdoors helps her relax and regain perspective. Watch her video on connecting with nature and learn why the great outdoors (especially in her home state of Rhode Island) is great for relieving stress:

Nature acts like a reset button.
Computers, phones, never-ending to-do lists—we can all feel overwhelmed sometimes. Nature provides a refuge: a chance to unwind and recharge. For GG, that means leaving her phone and work behind and spending a few minutes sitting quietly by the pond near her home. 

Being outside can help restore creativity.
High levels of stress can make it difficult to concentrate or feel passionate about what we’re doing. Spending time outside helps restore creativity, improve attention, and increase motivation, so we can approach our tasks with renewed energy and focus. 

Green spaces make us feel better.
Studies have shown that people who spend time in or around green spaces report higher levels of happiness and feelings of well-being. 
 
It can put things in perspective.
Whether it’s by the water, the mountains, or in our own backyard, spending time outdoors can help us regain our perspective. Nature can have a calming effect, so we can look at problems with fresh eyes and realize that sometimes what felt like a big deal is really something small.