Simple Ways to Calm Anxiety, Stress, Anger and Overthinking Naturally.
In the forest of your mind, a few monsters you are bound to find. Some are loud and restless, always moving, always pulling your attention in different directions. They show up as anxiety, anger, stress, or habits that are hard to control.
In this month’s article we cover 5 different loud, and restless monsters on the mind. We’ll show you how to recognise them in yourself as well as others. More importantly, you’ll find effective nature therapy ideas to deal with each of these monsters and learn how to calm your mind naturally.
* We are also collecting stories from people who have managed to befriend these monsters or have at-least negotiated a truce. We’ll turn a few select stories into short films. Add your own thoughts and read about other people’s solutions in the comments at the end.
Mind Monster #1: Anxiety – The Prickly Monster
Anxiety is prickly monster that won’t leave you alone. It keeps poking around your head, whispering:
“What if something goes wrong?”
“What if you mess this up?”
“What if… what if… what if…”
It doesn’t sit still. It doesn’t let you sit still either. Even when nothing is wrong, the poking continues.
How to Spot This Monster
You might notice:
- Your mind jumping from one worry to another
- Your body feeling tight, like it’s always “ready”
- Trouble sitting quietly without checking your phone or thinking ahead
- Small things starting to feel big
Nature Friend: The Tree & The Sense of Sight
Let see how to deal with anxiety without medication. Fighting the anxiety monster doesn’t work. Swat at it, and it only pokes you harder. So instead of battling it in your head, step outside for a moment. Let’s meet someone that’s calm and collected.
Anxious minds race ahead. Vision brings you back to what is here.
Looking steadily = slowing thoughts.
Find something that feels steady. A hill. A group of trees. Even a single tree standing tall.
Now just look. Not quickly. Not like you’re scrolling.
Let your eyes rest. If you can, slowly trace its outline from one end to another. Simply noticing each detail.
Every time your thoughts run off, gently bring your eyes back. No force. No frustration. Just looking.
You will begin to feel a little less prickly, and a little more steady and present. For now, that’s enough.
Mind Monster #2: Anger – The Firecracker
Anger is like a firecracker with a very short fuse. Sometimes it starts with a small spark. A comment, a delay, a mistake. And before you know it… boom. Words come out faster than you can catch them.
Your body heats up. Your jaw tightens. Even your thoughts sound louder. The strange part? A few minutes later, the noise is gone…but the smoke is still there.
How to Spot This Monster
You might notice:
- Your voice getting sharper or louder
- Your body feeling hot, tight, or restless
- Reacting quickly, then thinking later
- Small things irritating you more than they should
Nature Friend: The Earth & The Sense of Touch
One of the best ways to deal with anger is to learn grounding techniques in nature. Telling yourself “don’t be angry” doesn’t work. It’s like telling a fire not to burn. So instead of trying to shut it down, step away for a moment.
Anger is heat and tension in the body.
Touch (cool water, tree bark, soil) helps release that physical charge.
Let’s give that fire somewhere safe to cool. Find a grassy patch or ground that you can walk bare-foot on. Any clean space, garden, or park, near your home will work. Now, open your footwear and walk slowly with your bare feet.
Don’t rush this. Just feel. Notice:
The roughness or softness of the ground
The coolness under your feet
The quiet stillness of something that has stood there for years
If you feel like it, lie down and relax. Let your body slow down. Stay here for a few minutes.
No need to “fix” anything. Just feel. A Small shift. You’ve learnt to hit the pause button before exploding.
Mind Monster #3: Stress – The Pressure Cooker
Stress is everywhere. Work, family, phones, expectations. Stress is like a pressure cooker on a high flame. At first, everything seems under control. You’re handling things. Managing life. But slowly, the pressure builds. More work. More responsibilities. More expectations. It’s like your day is full, but you are not present in it.
Inside, things get tighter and tighter. And then ‘pssshhh!’ A small release. Irritation. Snapping at someone. Or sometimes ‘boom’. You shut down, feel overwhelmed, or just want to escape.
How to Spot This Monster
You might notice:
- Feeling constantly “on edge”
- Getting irritated over small things
- A tight feeling in your head, neck, or shoulders
- Always thinking about what’s next
Nature Friend: The Birds & Sense of Hearing
There are simple ways to reduce stress naturally. Trying to “finish everything” often adds more heat to the cooker. So instead of pushing harder, step away for a while. Take a small nature break. Let’s lower the flame.
Stress is mental noise.
Natural sounds (birds, wind, rustling leaves) gently replace inner chaos.
Let’s listen to something that doesn’t rush. Find a place with a bit of nature. A park, a roadside with trees, even your balcony with a view of the sky.
Now, stop… and just listen. Not for anything special. Just listen.
Birds calling and replying. Leaves rustling in the wind. A distant dog barking. The soft hum of life happening around you. Stay for a few minutes.
Don’t label the sounds. Don’t judge them. Just let them come and go. If your mind wanders (it will), gently bring your attention back to the sounds. Like turning the volume down on the noise inside, and tuning into something softer outside.
To discover 150+ ideas that tap into nature’s healing gifts, check out: Nature Calm>>
Mind Monster #4: Hyperactivity – The Jumping Monkey
Hyperactivity is like a monkey that has had too much coffee. It jumps from one branch to another. Task to task, thought to thought. It doesn’t sit still and it stops you from sitting still too.
You start one task… then another… then another. Everything feels interesting, but only for a few seconds. Focusing feels like work. And somewhere inside, there’s a quiet voice saying: “Why can’t I just stay with one thing?”
How to Spot This Monster
You might notice:
- Starting things but not finishing them
- Feeling restless when you try to sit still
- Getting distracted easily by sounds, thoughts, or your phone
- Wanting to move, fidget, or do something… anything
Nature Friend: The Trail & Sense of Movement
So what are the different ways to focus better with attention issues? Forcing yourself to “just sit still” doesn’t work. Mindfulness and sitting meditation can be extremely challenging. The monkey doesn’t like cages. So instead of stopping the movement, let’s guide it.
This one won’t calm by forcing stillness.
It needs guided movement: walking, balancing, slow deliberate actions.
Find a simple path. It could be a walking trail, a sidewalk, a garden path. Anything that lets you move forward without thinking too much. Now start walking. Not fast. Not slow. Just a natural pace.
And bring your attention to your movement. Notice your feet touching the ground. The shift of weight from one step to the next. The rhythm of your body moving forward. Step… step… step…
If your mind jumps away, that’s okay. Gently bring it back to the next step. No need to control everything. Just stay with the rhythm. If you feel like it, slow down slightly. Let your steps become a little more deliberate. You will learn to focus your energy. One step at a time.
For a deeper dive try our 10 magical walks in nature.
Mind Monster #5: Addiction – The Gripping One
Addiction is monster that slowly wraps itself around you. At first, it feels harmless. A small habit. A quick escape. Something that helps you feel better. Just one more scroll. One more drink. One more bite. One more hit of something that feels good… for a moment.
But over time, the grip tightens. What started as a choice, begins to feel like a need. And the strange part? Even when you know it’s not helping, you still feel pulled toward it.
How to Spot This Monster
You might notice:
- Reaching for something automatically, without thinking
- Saying “just a little more” more often than you’d like
- Feeling restless or uncomfortable without it
- A cycle of relief… followed by regret
Nature Friend: The Sky & Sense of Breath
Let’s learn how to break bad habits naturally. Fighting addiction monster head-on can feel exhausting. Pushing it away often makes it push back harder. So instead of wrestling with it, let’s create a little space.
Cravings pull you outward.
Breath brings you inward. Simple, always available, no stimulation needed.
Step outside, or stand near an open window. Look up if you can. Now bring your attention to your breath. No need to change it.
Just notice:
The air coming in. The air going out.
The gentle rise and fall of your chest
Breath in…breath out…
If you feel a craving, don’t panic. Just notice it. Think of it as a cloud passing through the sky. You don’t have to chase it. You don’t have to push it away. Stay with your breath. One inhale. One exhale. That’s all. If your mind wanders (it will), gently come back to the next breath.
Sometimes, addiction grows from a quiet sense of disconnection from life around you. The habits try to fill that gap for a while, but the feeling underneath remains. Spending time in nature can gently restore a sense of connection. Sitting by a tree, walking along a trail, or simply being outdoors reminds you that you are part of something larger, not separate from it. This doesn’t solve everything, but it can soften the emptiness a little.
These mind monsters are not our enemies. They are loud, restless, and sometimes exhausting, but they are also part of being human. You don’t have to fight them all the time, and you don’t have to win every battle.
Sometimes, it’s enough to step outside, to pause, to listen, to feel, to take one slow breath or one steady step.
In Nature the monsters grow quieter, because you are no longer caught up in the noise that feeds them.
What are your stories for dealing with these mind monsters? Please leave a comment to grow the collective knowledge.
Next month, we’ll be covering the five big monsters of: Loneliness, Depression, Insomnia, Eating Disorder, and Burnout. You’ll also find some of the best nature activities for mental health.
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