Hey, welcome to another SHE IS FIERCE! post where we highlight women who have interpreted this word in their own way. However, let’s first talk about Green Space⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What is ‘green space’?
The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘green space’ as: An area of grass, trees, or other vegetation set apart for recreational or aesthetic purposes in an otherwise urban environment. In terms of Urban Development and Planning, green space includes parks, playgrounds, community gardens, cemeteries, public plazas.
Here at FYFG, we define “green space” closer to home, as an area with cultivated plants and flowers, trees, and shrubs. It’s doesn’t need to have plants/flowers and trees planted straight on the ground. Neither does it necessarily need to be outdoors. “Green Space” can range from being a pocket garden, roof-deck container garden, to indoor potted plants in an arrangement. We can have Green space even by having 2-3 small potted plants on your work-desk or window sill.
Meet Lauren Sakuma.
We met Lauren a few years back when she was on her health transformation. She was a young wife and mother, timid, curious, and had an open mind to learn. Today, we find Lauren homeschooling her young daughter. She has returned to her love of running and designing. Lauren is a Wellness Advocate, blogger, and entrepreneur. She is also a sustainable home-maker creating her own plant-based milk, homebaked bread, sprouting beans, and seeds. Lately, she has become an urban garden enthusiast.
Get to know Lauren more, and how she began creating her Green Space.
Why we need to Create Green Space.
Have you ever taken a walk outdoors, and enjoyed the greenery of nature? Did you notice how you felt just being there, in that green environment? Were you aware that your breathing was calmer? Did you feel more grounded and calmer and more at peace? Were your troubles less troubling? Being in nature has been proven to lower stress. The mere fact that trees, plants, and nature provide us with cleaner, fresher oxygen is already a benefit to our body – from blood to brain!
The term for it is Ecopsychology. It is the study of how immersion in nature benefits our health. The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies published an article showing the direct relationship of nature to our wellbeing. Research has shown that 120minutes (2 hours) a week can already benefit us.
Interestingly enough, Japanese researches have coined it as “forest air bathing”(shinrinyoku) where one walks through nature/forests and the natural aerosols inhaled from the trees help increase the Natural Killer (NK) cells in our immune system, fighting off impurities and oxidants.
Other Benefits
Spending time in natural green space allows us to these:
- Lower Stress. The very act of walking and inhaling fresher, cleaner air helps the brain with reducing stress hormone called cortisol.
- Improve Mental health. It helps reduce anxiety, restlessness, and irritability. Some studies show reduced ADHD symptoms. It also helps with concentration and memory.
- Sleep. Being in nature can increase sleep quality. This is partly due to stress reduction, but also because exposure to sunlight during the day can increase your melatonin production at night. Melatonin is needed to regulate your sleep cycle.
- Relaxes our Eyes. Away from screen time, and looking at things at near distances strain the eyes. Whatsmore, artificial light/ blue light causes eye strain. Being outdoors with natural light filtered by the greenery creates relaxed eye muscles because of natural light waves.
Green Space Creator
We admire Lauren’s drive to create a space for herself — a space to thrive in this challenging time. It takes courage and understanding to accept that we need Nature and the environment to help us in our wellbeing. It takes a FIERCE growth mindset to see possibilities when challenges arise. For Lauren, her enthusiasm for urban gardening stemmed from wanting to provide for her family– to create a source of fresh vegetables and herbs. She has realized that it has taught her discipline, determination, and a good training ground for a growth mindset. She has also used it as a mode of educating her daughter as to where food comes from. And because of her drive to keep this green space, she has begun to inspire the residents in her community to start their own urban gardening.
She is Fierce!
We quote Lauren on her own definition of FIERCE
“Fierce is the strong attitude to rise up to (this) challenge..to become a better version of myself. My response is to create a space for myself to grow and allow myself to thrive in this kind of situation..as a housewife and mother, I need to take care of myself and keep my sanity”
“I found my love for urban gardening because I feel like this is helping me manage my stress and its really making me feel happy…you see the fruits of your labor, and harvest your own food!”
Imagine if⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If you have not thought about creating a green space for yourself, it’s never too late. You can contact Lauren to get immediate advice and get to know her, she can be reached through her blog: At Home With Lauren and her IG @createwithlaurun.
So imagine if you get to spend time creating your own green space at home? Where you get to nurture from seed to plant… garden-to-table vegetables? Would life slow down just a little and begin to de-stress your busy life? Nevermind if you don’t believe you’ve got a ‘green thumb’. Just Do It, Keep Going. Never Give up, as Lauren advises us. We believe good things happen when we create with nature.