It's Time to Actually" Touch Grass"
The health benefits of spending time in nature.
Have you been spending too much time indoors while working your remote job? Have you fallen for AI-generated content that seems too realistic? It might be time to touch some grass.
It’s in our human nature to spend time outdoors. Since the dawn of time, humans have been interacting with nature. Before we had gardens in our backyards and kitchens, farming was our go-to way to connect with nature. Before farmland, we hunted our meat and gathered our fruits and vegetables. Now, with more people living in cities and working from home, spending time outdoors seems farther away from our human nature.
Although we may spend less time outdoors nowadays, it’s still natural for our bodies to long for time in nature. It’s healthy to break out of our urban environments and spend more time outdoors.
How can we naturally connect with nature to positively improve our health? Catering to our five senses is a great place to start.
Touch
Try “grounding” yourself by walking barefoot in the grass. Feeling the sun on your skin is another great way to benefit from nature’s glory.
Sound
Do you live near a body of water? If you do, try taking your laptop or iPad to the coast. A change of office scenery can improve your work ethic. Listening to ocean sounds or animal coos can help put you in a relaxing mood.
Sight
Hundreds of screensavers are automatically set to nature themes because they’re known to be relaxing. Try taking a nature walk in your neighborhood, and don't turn around to go back home until you've found all the colors in the rainbow. Even taking nature walks and capturing your outdoor environments is a great place to start.
Smell
Stopping by your local farmer's market to pick up in-season fruits and vegetables and cooking a nutritious meal with them is a great way to incorporate nature into your life. Having an evening bonfire after work is a great way to relax in nature. The smell of a bonfire itself will take you to a relaxing oasis.
Taste
Growing a garden in your own backyard is a great way to incorporate the freshness of nature into your life. The nutrients of fresh fruit and vegetables can improve your health.
It’s in our blood to depend on nature for health benefits. Below are numerous ways nature can improve physical and mental health.
Stress Reduction
According to the Stress Reduction Theory (SRT), stressful environments can harm our nervous systems. Spending time outdoors can lower cortisol levels.
Better Heart Health And Physical Activity
Spending time outdoors promotes more bodily movements, which improves your heart health. Living closer to the outdoors encourages more people to engage in outdoor exercises.
Boosted Mood And Improved Mental Health
The Attention Restoration Theory (ART) suggests that the more time humans spend outdoors, the more it will help to alleviate mental fatigue from the daily grind. Outdoor activities tend to make people happier by improving their emotional well-being, which in turn helps boost their mood.
Strengthened Immune System To Fight Illnesses
The immune system consists of cells that naturally fight off illnesses. Plants also produce phytoncides to fight against diseases. When humans are exposed to these natural substances outdoors, it can improve their immune system.
There was a study conducted inside a hospital with recovering patients. Some patients were in a room with a view of nature, while other patients didn’t have any windows. The study showed that patients with views of nature recovered faster than those without windows.
More Brain Power
Nature also energizes the part of the brain that controls emotions, called the prefrontal cortex. The outdoors may help sharpen your memory and attention span by improving your brain function.
Improved Sleep
Living in urban areas can be noisy, harming many sleep cycles. Living in quieter environments near soothing sounds, such as water, can help maintain better sleep health.
Nature doesn’t consist only of the outdoors. It can include eating fresh fruits and vegetables, even taking care of your indoor plants. Animals make up a large part of nature, too. Petting, playing, and cuddling with your pet can improve your overall mental and physical health. Even if you live in a city full of skyscrapers and busy streets, bits of nature are still around.
About the Creator
Michala
I'm a 20-something freelance writer and graphic designer.
Trump’s Venezuela Gambit Tests Investor Appetite for Geopolitical Risk
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed hardline posture toward Venezuela has reopened a familiar—but newly volatile—front in global geopolitics. By signaling tougher enforcement of sanctions and hinting at a recalibration of U.S. policy toward Caracas, Trump has injected uncertainty into energy markets and emerging-market assets, forcing investors to reassess how much geopolitical risk they are willing to absorb. For Wall Street and global funds alike, Venezuela has long been a paradox: a country with some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, yet burdened by sanctions, political instability, and institutional collapse. Trump’s gambit is testing whether investors believe opportunity can outweigh risk—or whether capital will once again retreat at the first sign of escalation. Why Venezuela Is Back on the Radar Venezuela’s reemergence in U.S. political discourse is not accidental. Energy security has climbed back to the top of global priorities, driven by conflicts, sanctions, and supply chain disruptions. With oil prices sensitive to geopolitical shocks, even marginal producers can influence sentiment. During Trump’s previous term, the United States imposed sweeping sanctions aimed at pressuring President Nicolás Maduro to step down. Those measures sharply curtailed Venezuela’s oil exports and isolated its financial system. While later policy adjustments under subsequent administrations allowed limited easing—particularly to stabilize energy markets—Trump’s rhetoric suggests a return to maximum pressure. For investors, this raises a critical question: are sanctions about to tighten again, and if so, what does that mean for oil flows, regional stability, and risk premiums? Markets React to Policy Signals, Not Just Policy Financial markets are forward-looking. They react not only to decisions but to signals—and Trump’s statements are powerful signals. Even without immediate policy changes, the prospect of tougher sanctions or diplomatic confrontation can shift investor behavior. Oil traders are watching closely. Venezuela’s production remains far below its historical peak, but incremental barrels matter in a tight market. Any hint that U.S. policy could disrupt exports—even indirectly—tends to push volatility higher. Beyond oil, Venezuela-linked assets are thinly traded but symbolically important. Bonds, energy service contracts, and regional equities can swing sharply on geopolitical headlines, reinforcing the perception that politics, not fundamentals, drives outcomes. Investor Appetite Meets Political Reality The core test posed by Trump’s Venezuela gambit is whether investors are prepared to price in elevated geopolitical risk for potential upside. Some funds specialize in distressed assets, betting on political shifts or partial normalization. Others prefer stability and predictability, steering clear of jurisdictions where policy can change overnight. In recent months, there has been cautious interest in Venezuela-related opportunities, fueled by limited sanctions relief and the prospect—however remote—of political dialogue. Trump’s stance complicates that calculus. A harder U.S. line could reverse fragile gains, leaving investors exposed to sudden losses. For institutional investors with strict compliance requirements, even the perception of heightened sanctions risk can be enough to stay away. The Energy Dimension: Oil as Leverage Energy sits at the center of this drama. Venezuela’s oil sector has deteriorated after years of underinvestment and mismanagement, but it still represents strategic leverage. For Washington, sanctions are a tool to influence behavior; for Caracas, oil is both lifeline and bargaining chip. Trump’s approach historically framed sanctions as pressure mechanisms rather than negotiating tools. If that philosophy returns, markets may expect less flexibility and more confrontation. That expectation alone can deter capital, slow production recovery, and amplify price swings. Ironically, tighter sanctions could also strengthen Venezuela’s reliance on non-Western partners, reshaping trade routes and complicating enforcement—another layer of uncertainty investors must weigh. Regional Spillovers and Emerging Market Risk Venezuela does not exist in isolation. Its instability has ripple effects across Latin America, from migration pressures to regional energy dynamics. For investors, this means contagion risk. A sharper U.S.–Venezuela standoff could elevate risk premiums for neighboring markets, particularly those with political fragility or economic ties to Caracas. Currency volatility, capital outflows, and equity selloffs often follow periods of heightened regional tension. In this sense, Trump’s gambit tests not just appetite for Venezuela-specific risk, but for emerging markets broadly—especially at a time when global interest rates and macro uncertainty already weigh on sentiment. Election-Year Calculations and Uncertainty Trump’s Venezuela rhetoric also carries a domestic political dimension. Hardline foreign policy positions can resonate with certain voter blocs, particularly in an election context. For investors, election-year geopolitics are notoriously difficult to model. Policy announcements may serve political messaging rather than economic strategy, increasing the likelihood of abrupt shifts. Markets dislike surprises, and Trump’s unpredictability—whether admired or criticized—adds a premium to uncertainty. As a result, investors may demand higher returns to compensate for risk, or simply choose to allocate capital elsewhere. What Investors Are Watching Next Several indicators will shape market reaction in the months ahead: Sanctions enforcement: Any concrete moves to tighten or expand restrictions would have immediate market impact. Oil export data: Changes in Venezuelan output or shipment patterns will signal whether rhetoric is translating into reality. Diplomatic posture: Engagement—or lack thereof—with allies and regional partners will influence how isolated or escalatory U.S. policy becomes. Corporate exposure: Energy companies and service providers will reassess involvement, offering clues about private-sector confidence. Together, these signals will determine whether Trump’s gambit remains a headline risk or becomes a material market driver. A Calculated Risk—or a Warning Shot? It remains unclear whether Trump’s stance is a negotiating tactic, a campaign message, or a preview of future policy. For investors, the distinction matters less than the risk it introduces. Venezuela’s story has taught markets a hard lesson: political risk can overwhelm fundamentals. Even the promise of vast resources cannot compensate for uncertainty when rules change without warning. Conclusion Trump’s Venezuela gambit is testing investor appetite for geopolitical risk at a time when markets are already navigating inflation, interest rate shifts, and global instability. By reopening the question of sanctions and U.S. policy toward Caracas, Trump has reminded investors that politics remains a powerful market force. Whether capital retreats or selectively engages will depend on how rhetoric translates into action. But one thing is clear: in today’s interconnected world, geopolitical gambits do not stay confined to diplomacy—they ripple through markets, portfolios, and risk calculations worldwide.
By Muhammad Hassan6 days ago in Earth
'20/20'
"Do It Again" the track that would ultimately open the Beach Boys final album on Capitol Records which was released on February 10th 1969 had originally been released as a single in August of 1968. The track was the first of many post-Pet Sounds era throwbacks to the early Beach Boys sound which would become continually more cliched and eventually lead the Beach Boys to the level of self-parody they would eventually succumb to in the 1980s while their closest contemporaries The Beatles nearing the end of their run in 1969 would go on to be viewed as the most influential band of all time. However, the song itself is not bad on its surface, and it opens with a futuristic sounding (for 1969) drumbeat captured by then-Beach Boys engineer Stephen Desper using tape delays on the drums performed by Dennis Wilson and John Guerin. The song has been re-recorded numerous times over the years on various Beach Boys-related projects most notably the 2011 re-recording at Capitol studios featuring the five surviving Beach Boys at the time backed instrumentally by various members of both the Brian Wilson Band and Mike Loves touring "Beach Boys" to promote the then upcoming Beach Boys 50th Anniversary reunion tour in 2012. The hammering and power drill sound at the end of the song was an excerpt from a track called "Workshop" that was to be a part of the uncompleted "SMiLE" album.
By Sean Callaghan6 days ago in Beat
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