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The Nature Nurse Blog

Want to Have More FUN?  Identify Your FUN Magnets.

10/20/2025

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Did you have FUN this past weekend?  Who were you with?  Where did you have fun?  What were you doing?  Identifying our FUN magnets is part of the roadmap to having more TRUE FUN, which we discussed in last week’s blog: www.thenaturenurse.com/blog/are-we-having-fun-really
 
Catherine Price defines fun magnets as the people, activities, and environments that consistently spark True Fun—a blend of playfulness, connection, and flow that makes you feel fully alive. In her book The Power of Fun (amzn.to/48DIQlV)
she encourages readers to identify their personal fun magnets through a process she calls a fun audit.
Here’s how she characterizes fun magnets:
🎯 What Fun Magnets Are
  • People who energize you, make you laugh, or help you feel seen and connected.
  • Activities that absorb your attention, spark joy, and leave you feeling refreshed rather than drained.
  • Places or environments that invite spontaneity, creativity, or a sense of ease.
​🔍 How to Find Yours
  • Reflect on past experiences where you felt truly alive.
  • Notice patterns—who were you with, what were you doing, where were you?
  • Use these insights to intentionally design your life around more of those elements.
What did I find when I did a self-assessment of what, who, and where are my FUN magnets?  Well, to be honest, I found that many of my FUN magnets, especially people, were no longer alive, living close enough to have regular FUN, or not in the emotional state to have TRUE FUN due to battling diseases, grieving the loss of loved ones, overstressed by fill in the blank, or caregiving.  This is not something Price discusses in her book, so I took some time to honor these losses and recognizing this is a big part of why I was not having as much FUN as I used to.
Perhaps you may find this to be true for you, too.  It is not just loss or changes in the FUN magnet people we have in our lives, it can be loss of your favorite beach house getaway due to beach erosion, or your favorite campground burned down in a forest fire, or was wiped out by flooding.  Activities we may have found FUN in the past may no longer be doable, or maybe you have outgrown them?  Fear not! If we dig deeper, there is FUN to be had!
Once I took some time to grieve the losses I wasn’t aware of, and accepted that I was going to have to put more effort into enjoying the FUN magnets I did have left and find new FUN magnets, things started to turn around.
 
My husband is a FUN magnet for me.  Although sometimes, we forget to carve out time and save some energy for TRUE FUN.  This past weekend, that is what we did.  We spontaneously decided to go away for the weekend to explore Virginia.  We booked a room at an inn in an area that I had bookmarked on Instagram.  We weaved through the backroads and enjoyed the fall foliage.  We gave warm mineral bathing a try and had some laughs during this unique experience.  We met another couple at dinner and compared experiences.  On the ride home, we happened to stumble upon a crowd waiting along the train track for the steam locomotive to pass.  “It’s a big deal around here,” we were told.  So, we got out of the car and waited, and the train was impressive.  Then, the crowd ran to the car and drove like cannonball run down the road to get ahead of the train so they could see it pass by again!  The enthusiasm was contagious, so we followed along.  It was FUN!  
Spontaneity, exploring new places, my husband, trying new things like mineral pool bathing are FUN magnets going down in my FUN journal.  What are you adding to yours?


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Are We Having FUN, Really?

10/8/2025

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When was the last time you laughed so hard your sides ached, you were gasping for breath, maybe even peed your pants a little? (No judgment!) When I paused to reflect, I realized it had been months since I laughed that hard—Easter Sunday, to be exact.
My family and I were swapping childhood stories, and our wildly different versions of the same events turned into pure comedy. It was like someone popped an overinflated balloon—the stress released into the air, and in its place surged an effervescent energy that stayed with me for days.
Fall is FUN—that’s our seasonal theme. If you’ve been following along on Instagram or Facebook (@TheNatureNurse), you know we’ve been diving into the concept of True FUN, inspired by Catherine Price’s book The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again. Price defines True FUN as “the confluence of three psychological states: playfulness, connection, and flow.” We’re using her work as a guide to infuse more of this magic into our lives.
Last week, I shared a few action steps for those ready to hop aboard the FUN train. 
Here is how it is going for me so far:
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1. Declaring FUN as a Fall Intention
Just saying out loud that I’m prioritizing FUN this season—to friends, family, co-workers, even strangers—has been FUN in itself. It opens the door to delightful conversations and hilarious stories.
For instance, I chair a Global Collective of Nurses who specialize in Nature Connection. I mentioned our seasonal theme, and shared that when Catherine Price searched PubMed for research on “fun,” she mostly found results about fungi—mushrooms! One nurse chimed in, “I actually find foraging for fungi fun.” We laughed at the irony and the unexpected joy of wordplay.

2. Clearing Space for FUN
With the seasons shifting, it felt like the perfect time to declutter—clothes that no longer fit, makeup that’s hardened in the drawer, books collecting dust that I’ll likely never read. Clearing physical space helped me feel lighter, more open, and ready to welcome FUN into my life.

3. Doing a FUN Audit
In Chapter 4 of Price’s book, she offers a FUN audit. When I did mine, I realized I do know what feels FUN to me—spending time with my brother who always makes me laugh, taking classes where I meet new people and learn new things, and harvesting flowers from my garden to create arrangements. What I struggle with is making time for FUN and planning it intentionally, so it doesn’t slip away and leave my FUN tank running on fumes.

Now it’s your turn.
✨ What did you discover in your own FUN self-assessment? 
✨ What have you cleared away to make room for more FUN? 
✨ How did people respond when you declared your intention to prioritize FUN?


Share your thoughts in the comments below—let’s learn from each other and amplify the FUN.
Want to hop on the FUN train? Subscribe to this blog, follow @TheNatureNurse on Instagram or Facebook, and check out The Nature Nurse YouTube channel. FUN is contagious—and the more, the merrier.

 

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The Divine Downloads of Summer: 3 Nature-Inspired Truths That Changed Everything

9/24/2025

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This past summer, we embarked on a deep exploration of how connecting with nature nourishes the soul. Someone asked me, “What was your key takeaway?”
To be honest, choosing just one feels impossible. This journey awakened me to the vast wellspring of gifts the natural world offers when we take the time to connect with her intentionally. Even now, insights continue to bloom in my mind like wildflowers after rain.
Here are three that surfaced first as I sat with this question:

1. Solitude in Nature Opens a Portal to the Divine
When we meet nature in quiet solitude, something sacred stirs. A portal opens—offering wisdom, inspiration, and creative downloads.
In our second SoulFULL Summer interview, Lisbeth Overton shared how she received a “divine download” to create an oracle deck while walking beside her favorite lake. It was a brand-new idea for her, and yet she followed the nudge—and the result was pure magic.
History echoes this truth:
  • Moses received the Ten Commandments from a burning bush.
  • Mikao Usui’s spiritual awakening on Mount Kurama led to the creation of Reiki.
  • Record producer Rick Rubin often credits nature connection for sparking hit songs.
I’ve felt this myself while gardening. Alone among the plants, I began sensing an internal nudge to write a book. I dismissed it—until a fall down the stairs left me with a fractured ankle and unexpected time to reflect. In the ER, my husband said, “Well, now you have time to write that book you’ve been talking about.” And I did. Several, in fact. I often wonder if the injury might have been avoided had I listened sooner.

2. Celebrating in Nature Offers Irreplaceable Beauty
Florist Joseph Pugni shared stories of couples choosing to say “I do” outdoors—and it’s easy to see why. No designer can replicate nature’s offerings: rainbows, vast horizons, ocean waves, or the quiet wisdom of ancient trees. These elements bring a sacredness and spontaneity that no venue can match.
These are pictures from my own wedding on the beach:

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3. Nature Reminds Us of Our Shared Humanity
In a world often marked by division, gathering in nature—whether on a whale watch, a group hike, or a spiritual retreat—reminds us that we all share this Earth as home. Nature welcomes everyone. She doesn’t discriminate. She invites us to remember our oneness.
What was your key takeaway from the SoulFULL Summer Series? We’d love to hear it.

If you missed the series, you can revisit our summer social media posts on Instagram and Facebook @TheNatureNurse, read the blogs, and watch the SoulFULL Summer video series. Be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss our new Fall Series: Fall Is FUN!
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SoulFULL Summer: How Nature-Based Gatherings Are Awakening Spiritual Community

8/29/2025

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We gather around a campfire in a quiet, rural field nestled beside a gently flowing river. Each of us has been invited by our host, Alli, to experience her farm in the company of kindred spirits—people open and curious about otherworldly ways of being and sensing life.
There are about eight of us. Conversation begins easily: a couple shares stories of their annual pilgrimage to Stone Mountain, Georgia—a place steeped in Indigenous history and natural beauty that invites spiritual connection. One woman is a psychic medium, while another is a mother who practices holistic healing. As we exchange experiences, rituals, and questions, it becomes clear that this space is holding something sacred—a presence that invites us to connect more deeply.
“Would you like to introduce us to Hu?” Alli asks an older gentleman as we sip tea around the fire.
“Sure, if everyone’s interested,” he replies, gentle and unassuming.
We nod, intrigued. And so he begins. Hu, he explains, is a sacred chant used to attune oneself to the presence of God. Bill starts us off: “Hu-u-u-u… Hu-u-u-u…” (you can experience the sound here:
youtu.be/mKAfbNRvmhA?si=A8s7t-iKD3HsSAfr. )

Slowly, we join in. As our voices begin to harmonize, I notice the birds around us singing louder, as if drawn into the moment. When we reach a shared rhythm—entrainment—the tall grasses in the meadow begin to sway in time with our chant. It’s astonishing, as if the land itself is responding.

Across the world, more people are gathering in nature to share community, deepen consciousness, and explore spiritual practice. The Center for Spirituality in Nature, a nonprofit, offers pathways for nurturing soul-deep relationships with the Earth. Their programs invite reflection, reverence, and leadership—including a Spirituality in Nature Group Leadership Training Course for those called to guide others.
Looking for a more hands-on way to gather? Consider the Farm Church in Durham, North Carolina, where parishioners worship by growing food together—serving their community with love, nourishment, and shared purpose.
As we close our #SoulFULLSummer series, let’s remember: this is only the beginning. We don’t have to walk alone in our quest to fill our souls with nature’s abundant gifts. Whether through song, soil, or shared silence, building or finding a community that honors our connection to the Earth is healing—for us and for the planet.

Do you have a nature-based spiritual community that you would like to share?


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