How can gardening help mental health?

Gardening is a practice that we can all participate in one way or another. It can be as simple as growing a few herbs on your windowsill to as complex as a self-sustaining homestead.

Regardless of your goals for food production, there are countless benefits for our mental health.

Let’s face it, we live in an incredibly fast-paced lifestyle that can be overwhelming. With our attachment and dependence on phones, computers, and other technologies; we need an outlet.

For many, that may be exercise or another form of movement. But what if you want something relaxing, working with your hands? Enter gardening. Here are 7 ways that gardening helps your mental health:

1) Gets you moving

Like we mentioned that exercise is a great outlet for some, this can be a great option to get you moving without exerting excessive energy. Simply moving around, carrying pots, moving soil, digging holes will have great effects on both your mind and body without it feeling like you are "working out”.

2) Mindfulness- Gets you present

While in the process of gardening, you have the opportunity to practice mindfulness and presence. As we mentioned earlier, we are so attached to our phones and other screens. This is a place where you can disconnect from the outside world and focus on what is right in front of you. Feel the soil in your hands. Watch the plants grow everyday as you continue to love and nurture them. The practice of mindfulness is something that will make just about every aspect of our lives better. Start being present with your gardening practice and watch the presence spill over to other areas of your life!

3) Creates consistency

For better or worse, our gardening may not survive without our support. Without getting too scientific, often times we are growing plants that may not be native to the environment we are living, therefore they may not be the most adapted to the environment and will need our help to survive and thrive. It has become part of my morning routine to go out and check on the garden; seeing if it needs any attention. This could be watering, pruning, weeding, etc. Whatever it is, having a consistent practice in our lives is great to feel grounded and happy.

4) Reduces stress

If I am feeling stressed, you can likely find me in the garden. This is my place of stress relief. This is where I can spend time with my plants and recognize (as silly as it may sound) that they aren’t stressing. They are simply living and taking life as it comes! We can learn great lessons from our little green friends if we take the time to sit and observe.

5) Connects you to the Earth

This goes hand in hand with relieving stress. Any time I feel stress, anxiety, or any other unfavorable feeling; connecting with the Earth is one of the best grounding tools available. If I am outside, barefoot, in the sun, breathing fresh air, and working with my hands; there is not much better! Now, really take those shoes and socks off. We are constantly living with a barrier between ourselves and our beautiful Earth. Yeah, you might get a little “dirty”, so what? This beautiful planet gives us life! Reconnect with our life source by letting your entire body feel all it is that mother Earth has to offer!

6) Overcome challenges

Inevitably, challenges will occur during gardening. Pests may come, plants may fall over. seeds may not sprout. This is an opportunity to practice problem solving rather than getting frustrated and quitting. Use these challenges as a training ground for building a stronger mind with a growth mindset. We so often allow challenges and obstacles to stop us in our tracks. Why not practice finding solutions instead? Plant fall over? By some twine for $2 and tie them to a stick or stake. Or maybe you buy a trellis or support cage. Whatever you decide, choose to be solution orientated in your thinking!

7) Practice patience

We cannot rush nature. We can try all these fancy tricks and tactics, but at the end of the day, nature has an innate intelligence and will move as it is ready. Of course, better soil, better water quality, sunlight and other factors will help us optimize our garden’s growth. At the end of the day, we must practice patience to make the most of our gardening experience. As you can see from the theme here, the lessons we learn in gardening trickle down to all of the other aspects of our lives.

Now what?

You’ve learned 7 ways that gardening can help with your mental health.

Get started! It may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.

Check out this free eBook- Yes, You Can Grow Your Own Food by Rob Carney

I’d love to see your pictures of your garden! Please tag me on Instagram @wholehealthconnections and feel free to reach out with any health or gardening questions.

Have the best day ever.