Today, I woke up and felt disconnected - like I was outside looking in. 

To many, this perception of disconnection can lead to feelings of loneliness and separation from others.  Even people we know care about us. 

I am no less connected than I was yesterday or might be tomorrow, but today, my inner critic has popped up. I need to be more mindful and kinder to myself than usual. I need to reconnect.

One of my favourite ways to reconnect is forest bathing. There is something purely brilliant about adventuring in a wood. Breathing in the oxygen-rich air, surrounded by nature's sounds, smells, and sights.

Just like the trees and all the wildlife that live in the woods, we have a phenomenal natural resilience and walking in the woods is an excellent reminder of why.  Think about deciduous trees.  They lie dormant in the winter, then leap into life in the spring and summer months.  Their roots are strong, and they communicate in an underground system some call the mycelium network or the wood wide web.  Mindfulness teachers often use trees as a metaphor for strength and resilience. 

So, if, like me, you feel a little disconnected and need a boost to reconnect, put down your device and get out into the wood wide web for a different browsing. Imagine your bodies are like the trunks of a tree, strong and connected to the ground by a network of roots and fungi.  Find an old oak tree to climb or sit at the bottom of it reading; take a run through the forest; find a tree to hug, have a picnic (which for us is sometimes just a water bottle and bag of crisps); why not get creative and draw something that takes your eye or meander aimlessly, listening to the sounds and with every breath, feeling more connected to the world around you.

Whatever you decide to do, have fun being in the woods for a spot of well-deserved and well-earned forest bathing.

Here is a little snapshot of us on our little forest adventure today.