I have been struggling with my mental health recently, and one of the things I’ve been working on doing is getting out of the house more. Specifically, I’m wanting to explore some areas of Toronto and further afield that I haven’t checked out yet – and recently, these spots have been in nature. I have to say, it has made a HUGE difference on my mental health, which is something I had not anticipated! Read on for more juicy details about what I feel is the healing power of nature.

My journey started when I wanted to explore some more nature-y spots. The first spot I visited was Allan Gardens, a great area to explore that is FREE in the midst of downtown Toronto. They are a conservatory and have a couple of different greenhouses to check out, filled with a range of plants. They even have a small pond filled with turtles! I wasn’t there super long, but even a bit of time spent in an area with a big concentration of plants felt very calming for me.

Shortly afterwards, I decided to explore Toronto Botanical Gardens. This spot had a bit more of an impact for me because it’s located a bit further out of the city, not right in downtown. It was a bit of a drive but well worth it to get out of the hustle and bustle. And I have to say, these gardens were GORGEOUS! They are also free to visit and feature a very expansive area with gardens, which backs on to a forested area and connects to a larger trail system too. I went for a good walk in the forested area, which was less busy and super peaceful.

Then, I started exploring the trail system that the gardens connected to. There’s a great walkway located along the river. I walked along for a while but decided to come back to see the gardens more, plus they even have their own cafe in the centre of the gardens too! It was really incredible and my mood was honestly through the roof after this experience. I spent a good few hours there and it was sooo nice to get a good dose of nature. This is a great option if you live in downtown Toronto and want an experience slightly out of the core, but still within the city.

After noticing the overwhelmingly positive effects these two short experiences had on my overall mood and wellbeing, I wanted to take things even further and go out of the city to experience some more nature. I went on a day trip to visit the Kelso Lavender Farm with my friend and it was SO much fun! We had a blast wandering around the lavender fields, taking photos, and checking out some of their locally-made products. I really enjoyed seeing the fields covered in purple! I definitely recommend taking the opportunity to check out the lavender fields before they are out of season.

I also decided to go camping in Bruce Peninsula! This was an area I was really looking forward to exploring, and I’m so glad I went. Along the drive up, I stopped at a range of different towns with beaches to enjoy – including Owen Sound and Lion’s Head. I camped at Cyprus Lake Campgrounds, a gorgeous site that has a beautiful trail along the lake, connecting to the hike that takes you in to The Grotto (a super popular swimming hole). I did the hike once I was set up for camp and really enjoyed it! Spending my day fully in nature, hiking, swimming, and just enjoying being present in it was amazing. Heading back to Toronto, I did a similar pattern of stopping along the way to check out different towns and beaches, walking around, and swimming. A highlight of the journey back was visiting Sauble Beach, which was super busy but still really neat to check out! Overall I had an amazing time camping, the trip was SO GOOD and much-needed for my mental health!

These are a few short examples of my anecdotal experiences of being out in nature. I really didn’t think it was going to have as big of an impact on me as it did. I think nature may have been a key piece that I’ve been missing, that I simply didn’t notice because I didn’t have it in my life on a daily basis, to the extent that I perhaps need. If you are struggling with your mental health, I strongly recommend getting out in nature and just being in it. I have a feeling it may impact you more than you’d expect! Nature truly has strong healing powers, and I’m going to be making more of an effort moving forward to continue finding time to get out in nature.

I have a couple more camping trips planned in Ontario this summer that I truly can’t wait for! I’ll be sure to share the impact of these experiences, and I have no doubt that it will continue to be positive and beneficial. If you get out there too, let me know what kind of an impact nature has on your mental health! I hope it’s as wonderful as mine has been. 🙂