Growth with gardening.
Building Wellbeing into Life and Work: Insights from Dr Sue Stuart Smith
This week’s Brave New Girls Podcast, I spoke with Dr Sue Stuart Smith, psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author of the Sunday Times bestselling book The Well Gardened Mind. She shares powerful strategies for wellbeing based on her extensive research and clinical experience. She reveals how connecting with nature can transform our mental and physical health in surprisingly simple ways.
The science shows that within just 30 seconds of entering a garden, our heart rate and blood pressure decrease. After 20-30 minutes, stress hormone levels drop significantly. But it's not just about passive exposure - actively engaging with nature through gardening can help us process deep existential questions about loss, trauma, and hope.
Sue emphasises that we don't need elaborate gardens to benefit. Whether it's growing microgreens in an airing cupboard, tending herbs on a windowsill, or simply walking mindfully in a local park, nature connection can be accessible to everyone. The key is regular, mindful engagement - not just passing through with headphones on, but truly experiencing the environment through all our senses.
For workplace wellbeing, she recommends incorporating plants into office spaces, noting research showing this improves group relations and makes people more generous in their interactions. She advocates for taking breaks outdoors, particularly earlier in the day when it can best impact our serotonin levels.
Community connection is another crucial element of her wellness approach. Whether through community gardens or shared green spaces, working alongside others in nature can help bridge social divides and combat isolation. She's seen this principle work across diverse settings, from prisons to refugee programs.
Most importantly, Sue emphasises that we don't need to be "good" at gardening to benefit. It's about the process, not perfection. Even simple activities like watching seeds sprout can boost self-esteem and provide a sense of achievement.
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Talk to Lou Hamilton- Your Wellbeing Coach
Ten Actionable Steps for Building Wellbeing
1. Start each day with outdoor time, even briefly
2. Engage all senses when in nature - feel the wind, hear the leaves
3. Create a small growing space, no matter how limited
4. Take work breaks in natural settings when possible
5. Add plants to your indoor environments
6. Join or visit community gardens for social connection
7. Practice mindful attention to natural surroundings
8. Garden or walk outdoors without digital distractions
9. Notice seasonal changes in your environment
10. Allow time for regular nature connection, treating it as essential as exercise.
Regular, mindful connection with nature, whether through gardening or simply being present in natural spaces, provides scientifically proven benefits for physical and mental wellbeing.
If you have worries around life’s juggles & health challenges, and want to grow a healthier, happier life, work with your Wellbeing Coach Lou Hamilton who will guide you through the steps you need to take, to get to where you want to be- living well on a well planet.
See which bespoke coaching programme works for you & we can tailor them further to your growth needs.
