Biophilia Bliss: The Intro—How Embracing Our Wild Side Can Help Our Hearts and Minds

There’s a lot we can learn from cartoons—especially the classics. Take The Flintstones, for example. Talk about living close to the natural world. Their stone home and loveseat were chiseled right from the earth, and their wacky wildlife was nothing short of nature at its finest. From a woolly mammoth who functioned as a hose and vacuum to a Parrotsaurus for a dictaphone, these guys were quite the creative geniuses.

Now contrast these prehistoric folks with the futuristic Jetsons, who lived in a sterile space bubble surrounded mostly by metal and robots. While George Jetson usually came home from work frazzled from his tech-heavy world and vegged on the couch, Fred Flintstone ended his workdays sliding down the tail of a brontosaurus with a giant, “Yabba-Dabba-Doo!"

Life inspires life.

At least that is my humble opinion, and I know that when I catch a glimpse of a buzzing hummingbird, smell the sweetness of honeysuckle blooms, or feel soft blades of grass tickling my toes, I’m in my happy place. But sometimes Mother Nature makes it hard for us to step outside for her inspiration. Whether it’s a giant lightning storm or the daily work grind, in those times when it is impossible to breathe in some fresh air, we can still reap so many of nature’s benefits within the confines of four walls. We just have to open our minds to the possibilities.

Enter the concept of biophilic design: focused on creating indoor spaces that incorporate elements of the natural world and may provide some of the benefits we experience from being outside. Drawing on the formal definition of biophilia, which is “a hypothetical human tendency to interact or be closely associated with other forms of life in nature,” this practice is currently flourishing yet still has a lot of room to grow.

Imagine sitting in your corner office sipping on your cappuccino with a view of the morning sky while inhaling the calming aromas of your English lavender plant sitting upon your desk. Even though you may have hundreds of emails to sift through, your surroundings help lighten your load.

While research continues to explore the benefits of surrounding yourself with evergreens and sunshine, the average adult spends 90% of their time on this beautiful planet indoors. Human beings spent the vast majority of our history far more connected to the natural world than most of us are today, yet our modern society has tucked us away in a cubby somewhere. And it’s just not, well…natural.

The good news is that you can create these enchanted magical forests in your home, at work, and in hospitals and schools, often with minimal effort. Whether you are currently contemplating the purchase of a purifying peace lily, or you’re a nurse in an oncology unit who would seize the opportunity to wheel a patient out to the rooftop garden just to see the smile it puts on their face, I’m going to do my best to sprinkle you with some seeds to plant that will support your case:

So, Just to Summarize...

• Nature may help our bodies decompress. Natural elements are associated with more relaxed physiological responses and improvements in some measures of stress and blood pressure.

• Our surroundings may play a role in healing. Natural views and biophilic healthcare environments have been associated with less stress and pain and better recovery-related outcomes.

• Natural environments may help open our creative pathways. Both real and simulated natural environments have been associated with greater creative performance. When your brain gets stuck, perhaps it's time to cast your eyes away from a computer screen and onto some blooming daffodils for inspiration.

Overall, there is more science to explore on this hot topic; however, the results look promising. And what’s really cool about this whole concept is that it doesn’t come with a long list of side effects, and it’s relatively affordable. As an author, although my favorite writing space is on my back porch listening to the songs of bluebirds, when it’s a balmy ninety degrees out there, I retreat to my ivy-covered sitting room and turn on some soundscapes. And alas, the creative juices begin to flow.

So, the big question is: How can you create a biophilic retreat in your home, at work, and even in institutional settings like hospitals and schools? Well, I’m going to help you out with some ideas, starting with my own space at home, which will appear in next month’s blog.

For now, take a step outside. Recharge. And begin to toss around some innovative biophilic ideas to help you and others smile a little more in the spaces you live and breathe. Whether you are pitching to your boss, the board, or the little voice inside your head that keeps your spending in check, the benefits associated with embracing our wild side are shining more brightly than ever. And while we may not be able to adopt a pet office parrot that sings Jimmy Buffett tunes to get your day going, perhaps a pretty rock garden instead?