13/12/2025
I planted potatoes in spring with very little fuss — simple, quick, in bags, minimal effort — and then mostly forgot about them.
Digging them up this week felt surprisingly special. Each forkful of soil revealed another little treasure, like panning for gold. I slowed down, careful not to damage them, grateful I’d bothered at all.
I was outside in fresh air, hands in soil, listening to birds, winter sunshine on a cold clear day — and I came away feeling calm, grounded and quietly pleased with myself.
Neuroscience tells us why: being in nature, moving the body rhythmically and experiencing meaningful reward all help shift the nervous system out of stress mode. Dopamine supports motivation and satisfaction, serotonin supports mood, and gratitude strengthens resilience over time.
The potatoes will feed my family at Christmas and beyond — but the experience itself nourished me too.
Sometimes wellbeing is simpler than we think.
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Sometimes change doesn’t require digging into the past — just creating the right conditions going forward.