The Beauty In Nature

Show Notes

A few of you messaged me after last week’s episode, letting me know you were inspired to get out in nature, which I think is fantastic! If you find this episode or any other inspiring to you – please take a few minutes out of your day to leave a 5-star review and a few kind words on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It means so much to keep the show going. And if you’re feeling really generous – share it with a friend or on social media so we can spread the word.

the Beauty in nature

I’ve been thinking a lot about the connection between the things we value and how that affects our time. I aim to give you those aha moments that make you see the value in our natural world so that you create habits around spending time with nature and protecting it.

Something that kept coming up was the idea of beauty. Seeing the beauty in something helps us form connections and relationships with our environment. Throughout time, we have reveled in the beauty of our natural world and created beautiful things that make us happy.

Beautiful homes are suited to make us feel comfortable, at peace, and joyful.

Beautiful art that allows seeing the world through another’s perspective.

Beautiful food that makes us eager to savor and enjoy it.

The problem comes when we lose sight of authentic beauty and search for beauty that leaves us feeling hollow.

Beauty isn’t bad; it’s just our perception of what is beautiful that matters. And those perceptions lead to how we spend our money and live our lives.

The beauty and personal care industry is valued at $511 billion and climbing. The fashion industry is valued at 368 billion. The art industry – only 65.1 billion. U.S national parks – 92 billion.

Many extraordinary, beautiful places have been destroyed because the value we placed on them was minimal.

What is beauty?

Beauty is hard to define – but I think it is the harmony of form and function. Something pleasurable to the eye and inspiring to the mind. The appreciation of creation itself.

So how do we shift our perception of the beauty of our natural world so much that we begin to value it as priceless? As something that you can’t put an economic valuation on because of its incredible connection to the health of our mind, body, and spirit?

Well, today I want to read you an essay in a series by Michael Popejoy, a Fellow in the Harvard Philosophy Department, who explored Ralph Waldo Emerson’s work on the existence of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty in nature, and how these claims might inform our current approach to the environment.

The piece I will read is Beauty in Nature and is the final essay of a 4 part series made possible through the Student Sustainability Grant Program at Harvard.

Click above to listen, or tune in anywhere you listen to podcasts!

Read the full essays here: https://green.harvard.edu/series/emerson-and-environment

Something to grow on

I hope you enjoy Michael’s work as much as I did. For this week’s something to grow on segment, I encourage you to explore your beauty ideals and the value you put on them. Take a step in nature, and continue to be awestruck.

Thanks for joining me. I’ll see you next week.