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Aidan Fredericks
Professor Student
Final Paper
07/09/2023
Throughout this course, I have embarked on a transformative process that guided me through
connecting with nature and finding a deeper understanding of myself. While reading and discussing
“Rewilding Our Hearts” and “A Kinder Voice” I have developed a deeper connection to nature and its
benefits. This course taught me that by engaging in nature-based activities, outlining and understanding
what stresses me, and understanding mindfulness slogans, I can build a solid connection to nature. With
this connection to nature, I have become a better person to myself and those around me.
Stressors and Solutions:
From my journal entries, I have identified a few major stressors in my life: academic pressure,
work-life balance, creating stronger bonds with friends/family, and bettering myself mentally and
physically. I have struggled with academic pressure as I have been pushing myself to meet higher
expectations set by myself and others around me. Worrying about not meeting class and personal
expectations causes some of my highest stress levels. During this class, I have learned to manage academic
pressure. I am now able to take a step back and understand realistic goals and priorities. This summer I
started a brand new job, becoming a server at a very busy restaurant, CopperTop. I have put in immense
time and effort to learn the ropes as a waiter making me feel at certain times that work is a higher priority
than my personal life. However, with the help from this class, I have started to prioritize self-care
activities such as daily exercise and engaging in self-reflection activities. In correspondence with
managing my academic pressure, alleviating stress from these two major stressors has been an amazing
experience.
Creating stronger bonds with my friends and family is another major stressor. With the demands
of work, school, and personal goals I have found it challenging to prioritize these relationships. From
research from this class, I have made it crucial to make time for those who make time for me. I need to
invest time into maintaining these strong connections with my loved ones. I have learned how to
communicate with those around me, and have developed the ability to ask for help when I need it.
Especially with starting a new job and having a whole new set of coworkers, I had to break out of my
comfort zone and because of that have made a whole new set of friends. My last major stressor has
honestly been myself. Constantly pushing myself out of my comfort zone has not been an easy task.
Whether it is speaking to new people at my work, gym, or just out in public, I have learned to live out of
my comfort zone. By continuously pushing myself out of my comfort one, I have improved my mental
and physical health and am getting one step closer to my highest personal potential.
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Nature-Based Activities:
Throughout this class, I have participated in many different nature-based activities that have
helped me cope with stress and improve my overall well-being. The five activities I found most beneficial
to me were playing basketball, going on walks, gardening, swimming, and yoga/meditation. All of these
activities were very beneficial in one way or another contributing to my spiritual, mental, emotional,
social, and/or physical well-being.
Playing basketball has been an activity that allows me to blow off steam after a long day of work,
providing an escape from the world around me. It improved my mental and emotional well-being by
allowing me to clear my mind and focus on only the present moment. Most of the time I played by
myself, but some days I would play with my brother and friends which built some memories I will carry
with me for the rest of my life.
Going on walks was an activity that served multiple purposes in benefiting my overall wellbeing. It allowed me to connect with the nature around me and also serve as a form of exercise. Being
within nature relieved the stress I accumulated throughout my day, while physical exercise benefited my
cardiovascular health. Walking with my family and friends created a stronger bond than ever and
allowed me to teach them a few benefits of immersing themselves in nature.
Gardening with my parents was an empowering experience that brought both a sense of purpose
and accomplishment in my life. From the start of the warm season to now, seeing the growth of the
landscape at my house has been amazing. It provided me an opportunity to connect with nature,
connect with my parents, and gave all of us a sense of accomplishment with our beautiful lawns.
Just in the past two years, my family has purchased a pool for our backyard. I have found that
swimming with my friends provides a refreshing relief after a long day at work. Some days all I would do
was float around and listen to the environment around me. Whether it was kids yelling at the park, birds
chirping in the trees, or the wind blowing, floating around gave me a sense of tranquility and peace.
Finally, practicing yoga and meditation has given me a range of benefits. Connecting to my
spirituality, and emotional regulation, improving my physical mobility, and enhancing my overall
mental well-being. By focusing on my breathing habits, I was able to connect with myself on a deeper
level. It has given me an overall sense of tranquility and gave me a daily sense of peace.
In summary, each of these five nature-based activities played an essential role in enhancing my
overall well-being. Balancing out physical activities, emotional release and connection to my friends and
family benefited me in multiple different ways. I will continue to practice these activities as they’ve built
a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my life.
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A Kinder Voice and Mindfulness Slogans:
Marc Bekoff highlights the importance of having a kinder voice and being mindful in our lives.
By practicing mindfulness, we can become more aware of our actions and the way we react. With this, I
have learned to take control and respond more positively and productively. Rather than criticizing
ourselves and others, he teaches people to adopt a kinder and more compassionate approach to life.
Bekoff’s lessons of adopting a kinder voice connect with many different aspects of our everyday lives.
He teaches us to focus on practicing self-compassion and positivity rather than beating ourselves up over
our small failures. By stressing the importance of practicing mindfulness to become more aware of our
thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Practicing a kinder voice and mindfulness has had a significant impact on my life. Not only has
it helped me, but it has also helped with my relationships with others. Mindfulness has taught me to
slow down and become more present in the moment. One of the most important slogans I took
personally is “Be present.” Being present means living in the moment and fully experiencing life rather
than just going through the motions. By focusing on being present, I can fully engage with my
surroundings, connect with others on a deeper level, and find more joy in life. Practicing being present
has helped me become more aware of my thoughts and emotions, which gives me more control over my
reactions to the outside world.
The second slogan I have incorporated is “let go of judgment” mixed with the in-class example
“Begin Kindness Practice with Yourself.” When we judge ourselves or others, we divide ourselves from
society around us. Consistently bashing yourself over small things leads to negative patterns and a lack
of compassion. By letting go of judgment and being kind to ourselves, we become more accepting and
understanding of ourselves and others. When we let go of judgment, we can create deeper connections
with those around us.
The last important slogan I have for myself is “Focus on the breath.” Breath is one of the most
powerful tools I have gained from this class. Not only is it a powerful tool for mindfulness, it has always
kept me in the present moment. By taking deep breaths and focusing on the action itself, we can slow
down and become more aware of what is going on around us. Practicing breathing habits can help
someone become more calm, focused, and ready to take on challenges with ease.
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Key Takeaways from Class Readings:
From the different class readings and documentaries that we went over throughout the semester,
I gained valuable insights about the environment and its relationship to our well-being. One of my key
takeaways is from the TED talk during Kinder Voice Journal 5, “You don’t find happiness, you create
it.” Katrina Blom emphasized the power of gratitude and the reminder that happiness is a choice. Blom
highlighted how practicing gratitude can shift our focus from what is lacking throughout our lives to
what we appreciate. With the shift in focus, we learn to create a greater sense of happiness. Knowing I
can actively create my happiness has resonated with me and reminded me of the importance of
practicing self-improvement.
Another assignment that connected with me was Kinder Voice Journal 3, exploring the purpose
of your inner critic. Exploring the purpose of your inner critic can be a valuable exercise in selfawareness. The inner critic is often a voice in our minds that judges and criticizes our actions, abilities,
or worth. Understanding my inner critic has helped me recognize when its messages are helpful or
unhelpful. This awareness taught me to respond to it more compassionately and constructively, and in
return change my relationship with it. In addition to this assignment was the TED talk by Steve
Chapman, “This talk isn’t very good. Dancing with my inner critic.” Chapman spoke throughout this
TED talk about his inner critic and the harsh battle he has faced inside his own mind. Steve had a figure
in his life that he treated like a hero out of a comic book. Through thick and thin, Steve saw this person
as one of the greatest figures in the world. His hero saw his work and told him that his work wasn’t the
greatest. After battling with his inner critic, he took that as positive criticism and created something even
greater in and out of the book. This connects deeply with me because he taught me how to use criticism
to my advantage. Showing the audience that even your hero might not be a hero in the way you wanted.
This ended up helping him develop not only a greater book but a greater Steve Chapman.
Naming my own inner critic has been a powerful tool in becoming more aware and managing
my negative self-talk. Giving my inner critic a name gave it its self-being. As spoken about throughout
Chapter 3, taking this step can also help us to become kinder and more compassionate towards ourselves
and others. This has allowed me to gain a sense of peace, giving me a new outlook on the world around
me. By approaching the people and things around me with more care and compassion, those things have
benefited. Overall naming my inner critic has been a useful tool in developing into a more mindful
person. By recognizing it as its own being, I am now able to feel more control of my thoughts and
emotions.
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Perceived Stress Scale and Coping Self-Efficacy Scores:
Comparing my Perceived Stress Scale and Coping Self-Efficacy pre/post-test scores, I noticed a
slight improvement in my scores. My pre-test scores were 12 and 165, showing a decently high score for
both tests. Unfortunately, at the start of the summer, I was having trouble finding my true self. I started
a new job, started two summer courses, and was struggling to keep up with all of the responsibilities I
had. Throughout the course of this class, I have learned many coping skills and relaxing techniques. Just
a few days ago, with my post-test, I received scores of 10 and 177. A decrease in my stress, and an overall
improvement in coping. These class activities, readings, and discussions all have helped me manage my
stress levels and taught me how to cope better with the things that stress me.
Role as a Steward/Caretaker of Earth:
All of my life I have been an advocate for a cleaner and happier Earth. Giving back to the thing
that gives me the most is one of the things I enjoy doing regularly. In cooperation with this class, I have
recognized my responsibility to protect and conserve the environment for now and in the future. I plan
on taking a step in the right direction by reducing my carbon footprint and promoting environmental
awareness. To reduce my carbon footprint I plan on teaching my family and myself to use energy
conservation methods with the units in our house. Making sure to turn off all non-necessity appliances,
lights, and water-consuming appliances. My plan for promoting environmental awareness comes from
within my community. Living right next to multiple parks, I plan on participating in community events
like park cleaning to promote environmental education and awareness to my peers.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, this class has been a journey in terms of environmental education and selfdiscovery. Through the readings encouraging mindfulness, personal reflection, and nature-based
activities, I have learned many valuable lessons about myself and the environment. Not only have I better
understood my role as a caretaker, but it has deepened my overall understanding of life itself. I plan to
continue promoting self-care activities, engaging in nature-based activities, and improving the lives of
those around me.
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Works Cited:
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Bekoff, M. (2014). Rewilding our Hearts: Building Pathways of Compassion and Coexistence.
Novato, CA: New World Library
Jacobs-Stewart, T. (2016). A Kinder Voice: Releasing Your Inner Critics With Mindfulness
Slogans. Center City, MN: Hazelden Publishing
Chapman, S. (2017). This talk isn’t very good. Dancing with my inner critic. TEDx Talks.
Retrieved from YouTube.
Blom, K. (2018). You Don’t Find Happiness, You Create It. TEDx Talks. Retrieved from
YouTube