Why Connecting with Nature is Essential for Highly-Sensitive People.
Here we explore the vital connection between nature and the well-being of highly sensitive people (HSPs), including daily rituals to soothe your nervous system, and the value of protecting our land.
Dear friends and readers,
Today, we’ll explore:
💗 the essential role of nature for the well-being of highly sensitive people—how connecting with the natural world can support our unique needs.
💗 vital reasons to integrate nature time into your routine— along with a few gentle practices to nurture yourself each day through natural connection.
💗 the value of land conservation—and the important role that highly-sensitive people have to play in protecting and preserving Mother Earth.
Before we dive into this first day of the series, I want to first extend my heartfelt thanks to you for being here. Your readership inspires me to keep writing these love letters, and your presence and engagement are what make this journey possible.
The Calm of Morning: Sunrise from the Summit
The heart of today’s love letter comes to you from the summit of Bald Pate Mountain where a few sunrises ago I had the joy of greeting the day after a morning hike through the woods of Maine.
As a highly sensitive person, I find that these quiet moments in solitude with nature offer a unique kind of nourishment for my soul—soothing my senses whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed, and reaffirming a sensitive way of life.
A life that offers quiet, peaceful, moments in solitude—and space to just be.
For me, these moments are not just a source of personal joy, but also worth sharing. And since the only thing nicer than watching a sunrise by yourself is experiencing it with a friend, throughout the rest of this series I’ll be taking you with me on an immersive journey and guided meditation—sharing practical insights along the way.
Consider it my way of saying thanks not only to the land that sustains me, but for your readership which supports our mission at TNS (more on that later).
Before we head off on our adventure today, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on your own relationship with nature as a highly-sensitive person.
What significance does nature personally hold for you, and how does spending time outdoors impact your sense of wellbeing?
Nature's Essential Role in the Well-Being of HSPs
To me it seems that sensitive folks in particular draw deep nourishment from simply being in nature—which is a unique source of beauty, inspiration, and wellness for the deep feeling soul.
Prioritizing outdoor time is truly supportive for our sensitive systems, and fortunately, there are many ways to incorporate it into a daily routine.
How Sensitive People Benefit from Time in Nature (+ 5 Gentle Practices to Incorporate It Into Your Daily Routine)
🍃 Sensory Soothing: The sound of rustling leaves, birdsong, or flowing water found in nature offer a calming environment with gentle stimuli for the fraught nervous system. Simply hearing the sounds of nature can help to mitigate sensory overload and restore balance to the nervous system.
Daily Ritual: If you wake up with your to-do list already on your mind, try starting your day with a nature sound meditation. Set aside 5-10 minutes in a quiet outdoor space, or near an open window, and focus on the gentle sounds around you allowing these natural sounds guide your breathing.
🌲 Emotional Balance: Sensitive nervous systems tend to absorb the emotions of others without even realizing it, leading to fatigue, irritability, and anxiety. The tranquility of natural settings provides the space to decompress and process emotions, helping sensitive minds maintain emotional equilibrium.
Daily Ritual: Make time for a nature break during your day where you can catch up with yourself and release anything you’ve been holding on to. Whether it's laying in the grass in your yard or eating lunch out on the patio, allow yourself to disconnect from digital devices and simply be present in the natural world. You can use this time to process any emotions or emotional experiences that have come up for you.
🧘♀️ Mind-Body Connection: When there’s no time to decompress, it’s easy for the sensitive mind to become preoccupied and lose touch with the body's needs and signals. Being in nature encourages mindfulness and presence, allowing sensitive souls to reconnect and feel more grounded in our bodies.
Daily Ritual: Set a timer on your phone while you’re working to remind you to reconnect with your body. When it rings, try going on a mindful nature walk— focusing on the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the air on your skin, and the natural surroundings. (I’ll guide you through this in tomorrow’s letter).
🪴 Stress Reduction: We can’t always control the environments that we are in and the stressors they bring, but we can control how we respond to our stress. Spending time in nature has been shown to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can be a life-saver for stressed out sensitive minds and bodies.
Daily Ritual: If you don’t have easy access to the outdoors, consider bringing it to you. Create a green space in your living or working environment. This could be a small indoor garden, a window box, or even a few potted plants. Connect with the greenery by spending a few minutes each day tending to your plants. Noticing their growth and changes can help reduce stress and bring a sense of calm to you.
Inspiration and Creativity: This letter was inspired from my own time observing the beauty and serenity of nature. Indeed, sensitive natures (pun intended) often find immense inspiration in the natural world. The mental space that nature provides allows for the exploration of ideas and a deeper connection with one’s inner self, which can fuel your creativity and insight.
Daily Ritual: If you’re yearning to express your creativity, why not try setting aside time for a nature-inspired journaling session? Simply find a quiet spot outdoors or near a window with a view of nature and spend a few moments observing your environment. Write down any thoughts, ideas, poems, or inspirations that arise (and don’t forget to share—we love when you share).
Why HSPs Need Nature More Than Non-HSPs.
While everyone clearly benefits from time in nature, highly sensitive people may need nature more than your average person. Why? Because we experience the effects of outdoor time (and life in general), more intensely.
Since our sensitive nervous systems are finely tuned to our surroundings, we are acutely aware of both positive and negative environmental influences.
For highly sensitive people, spending time in nature is not just a pleasant activity but a vital practice for maintaining emotional and physical health. It allows us to reset, recharge, and find the equilibrium we need to navigate a world that can often feel too intense.
But don’t just take my word for it—go outside and feel it for yourself.
What do you notice when you immerse yourself in nature—do you find that you experience deep restoration, clarity, and calm?
When you’re away from natural spaces do you feel a sense of heightened stress, overwhelm, and a sense of disconnection?
At the end of the day I believe it’s so important for us to recognize and honor this unique aspect of our sensitivity and prioritize our need for nature if we want to thrive.
What’s one way you’ve noticed nature impacting your mood or energy levels as an HSP, and how might you incorporate more of those restorative moments into your daily routine?
Valuing and Conserving Our Land: A Sensitive Perspective
Before we wrap up today’s love letter, I want to take a moment to share about an important value of mine as an HSP — land conservation and planetary sustainability.
I know I’m not alone in these values. Many of us sensitive folks share a deep caring about sustainability and feel a natural pull toward supporting efforts that protect our planet. We tend to be more conscientious, and as such feel a greater responsibility and care for the world around us.
Perhaps more than most, you as a sensitive person appreciate the Earth for its boundless generosity and the way it provides everything we need—from nourishing food and clean water, to the fresh air we breathe, and the very ground that roots us.
Humans who feel deeply, are often the first to recognize the debt of gratitude we owe to this beautiful planet. 🥹
The way I see it, sensitive people are people who care, who share, and who heal— and so I feel it’s important that we not only recognize our unique capacity to honor this planet but also use our unique gifts to make a difference.
One meaningful way to express our gratitude is by supporting the people and organizations dedicated to preserving and safeguarding our planet.
Bald Pate Mountain, where I watched the sun rise from the summit, is just one area of natural land protected by the Loon Echo Land Trust—a non-profit organization that conserves natural resources and maintains the character of the land for future generations. Don’t live in Maine? Find, Visit, and Support a land trust near you.
Though many people benefit significantly from land trusts, most are unaware of the work done by organizations such as this and the vital impact they have. So, if you’re like me—curious, inquisitive, and eager to learn more—I invite you to explore these efforts further before we head off to our next adventure on the trail.
It’s a lovely way to say thank you, deepen your knowledge, and show your appreciation for the land and those who protect it before heading outside to enjoy it.
(let’s go a bit down the rabbit hole, shall we? 🐇).
Land Over Profit: The Value of a Land Trust
In a society where land is frequently seen as a commodity to be developed for profit, the mission of a land trust may align deeply with your value system as an HSP.
These organizations exist to prioritize the long-term health and sustainability of the land over immediate financial gain, and ensure that natural spaces remain untouched and accessible for current and future generations.
For us as sensitive individuals, this means that the quiet forests, serene wetlands, and open meadows we not only cherish but need are preserved, providing a refuge from the sensory overload of modern life.
Living in Alignment with our Values:
Here are just a few ways that caring about and engaging with sustainability and land conservation efforts benefits us while helping us live in alignment with our values.
🚰 Ensuring Access to Fresh, Local Food: sensitive bodies often benefit from the pure nourishment of fresh, locally sourced, organic food. By conserving land, we support sustainable farming practices that provide communities with the healthy, natural sustenance we benefit from.
🏞️ Protecting Water Sources: Clean, flowing water is essential for our well-being, and by protecting these vital sources of irrigation and drinking water, we ensure that life-giving resources remain available for all.
🌱 Capturing and Storing Carbon: The impact of climate change can weigh heavily on the sensitive heart and mind. By conserving forests and soil, we help capture and store carbon, reducing its presence in our atmosphere and contributing to the fight against climate change—an effort that can put our hearts and minds at ease.
🦋 Safeguarding Climate-Resilient Habitats: Sensitive souls often feel a strong connection to the creatures of the Earth. By preserving habitats that plants and animals need to thrive, we protect the delicate ecosystems that sustain biodiversity, which allows all living beings to flourish in a world that is constantly changing.
🪺 Preserving Open, Beautiful Landscapes: By conserving land, we ensure that open, untouched landscapes remain as sanctuaries for animals, insects, and future generations, providing the same solace and joy that we experience in these spaces.
And because of all these reasons (and more), we can:
🌏 Enhance Both Planetary and Human Health: I hope you see that our well-being is clearly deeply intertwined with the health of the Earth. By committing to land conservation, we contribute to the balance and harmony of both human and environmental systems, nurturing a world where both can thrive together.
In essence, the work of land trusts is about more than just conservation—it’s about fostering a relationship between people and the Earth that can resonate deeply with the values of highly sensitive people; a mission that aligns with our innate desire to protect, nurture, and sustain the life around us, and within us.
To me, that’s not just important—it’s truly beautiful.
Did you know that we also have a mission here at The Nourished Sensitive? ⤵️
At The Nourished Sensitive, our mission is to:
Unite sensitive individuals to foster mutual growth, holistic wellness, and lifelong learning. We believe that by living authentically and embracing our sensitivity, while making meaningful contributions from this place, we can create a positive ripple effect that extends far beyond ourselves—into our communities and the world.
As the creator of The Nourished Sensitive, I chose this mission because I believe that it's not only essential for us to nurture self-acceptance and prioritize our health and well-being as sensitive people, but to seek to understand the world around us so we can give back and share our unique gifts in ways that truly matter.
Whether it's advocating for land conservation, creating beautiful art, educating others about important topics, or offering any number of the special contributions sensitive individuals embody, we (you) have a vital role to play in this world.
I truly believe that.
And in sharing this with you, I’m inviting you to be part of our unique mission.
So, if you feel inspired to share ⤵️
Does this mission resonate align with your values as a sensitive person, and are there any unique gifts you observe in yourself that you feel called to share with our community? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. 🫶
I hope this exploration into the intersection of sensitivity and nature has inspired you to reflect on your own personal values and experiences. Perhaps it has even motivated you to take some new steps forward in your relationship with the natural world to implement some self-nourishing daily rituals and practices.
Maybe you’re even thinking about finding a land trust near you that you can visit and support. Find, Visit, and Support a land trust near you.
Whether it's through supporting land conservation, spending more time outdoors, or simply appreciating the beauty around you and sharing it with others, know that every small action contributes to the collective well-being and health of our planet.
Thank you for joining me on this journey and for being a part of our community. Your engagement and reflections are invaluable, and I look forward to continuing this exploration together.
With gratitude,
💗 Leah
Hi, I’m Leah, the creative lover behind these letters. As a visual storyteller, I express myself through art, music playlists, and candid photography, all infused with my love for life’s little moments—like a warm cup of tea or a sunrise hike.
As the founder of The Nourished Sensitive, I provide a sanctuary where sensitive individuals can learn to harness their unique gifts, find their own path to nourishment, and embrace their authentic selves.
My purpose is to illuminate the value of sensitivity as a world-healing superpower and be part of creating a world where the trait of sensitivity is recognized for its incredible potential to foster deep understanding, creativity, beauty, connection, and peace.
I inspire humans like you to put yourselves first, harness your sensitivities as strengths, and find a creative expression that serves you and the world, enabling you to lead a richer, more authentic, and purposeful life.
PS. In tomorrow’s letter, we’ll begin our (virtual) sunrise hike up Bald Pate Mountain together, while learning about the value of restorative movement for HSPs.
I’ll also be sharing a guided 3-minute forest bathing meditation designed to help us walk together in (virtual) spirit. This practice will offer us a moment of connection and grounding, and a bit of the peace I felt on my recent sunrise hike.
Hi, I’m Leah, the creative lover behind these letters. As a visual storyteller, I express myself through art, music playlists, and candid photography, all infused with my love for life’s little moments—like a warm cup of tea or a sunrise hike.
As the founder of The Nourished Sensitive, I provide a sanctuary where sensitive individuals can learn to harness their unique gifts, find their own path to nourishment, and embrace their authentic selves.
My purpose is to illuminate the value of sensitivity as a world-healing superpower and be part of creating a world where the trait of sensitivity is recognized for its incredible potential to foster deep understanding, creativity, beauty, connection, and peace.
I inspire humans like you to put yourselves first, harness your sensitivities as strengths, and find a creative expression that serves you and the world, enabling you to lead a richer, more authentic, and purposeful life.
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Ways to Support Our Mission at TNS
The Nourished Sensitive mission is to unique sensitive individuals to foster mutual growth, holistic wellness, and learning, helping us live authentically and contribute meaningfully to the world.
If our content and mission resonates with you, here are a few meaningful ways to support the work we do.
🌐 Visit Our Website – Explore all that we offer, including our latest blog posts, membership options, and resources: nourishedsensitive.com.
✨ Join Our Community – Become part of the The Nourished Sensitive Collective for exclusive resources, workshops, and connection with fellow sensitive souls.
💌 Subscribe to Our Newsletter – Get heart-centered reflections, holistic wellness insights, and updates straight to your inbox. Sign up here to stay connected and receive our free Holistic Guide to Thriving as a Highly Sensitive Person as a thanks!
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🫶🏼 Share Our Work – Forward this post to a friend or share on social media to help us reach others who may benefit from our message.
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Thank you for being here and for supporting a more inclusive, compassionate world. Together, we’re growing something beautiful. 🌿
Nature (especially sunsets) are like medicine to my soul.
Being in nature is truly my faith. The woods and rivers specifically have allowed me a dance of reflection and peace. I am able to be exactly who I am in that moment, no judgement. I have been able to put all of myself into the nature that surrounds me and I am thankful for that on a daily basis.