7 Outdoor Hobbies That Sneakily Toughen Your Brain (And No, It’s Not Just Hiking—Prepare to Get Weirdly Resilient)
Added on January 9, 2026 inASTROLOGY CARDS
Popular
Numerology Meets Netflix: Get Your Daily Dose of Cosmic Cinema Suggestions Powered By Our AI Astrologer. Find The Show Or Movie You Were Meant To See!
Ever wondered if you might secretly be a green witch? No, not the kind flying brooms around Halloween—think more Mother Nature meets herbal apothecary, wrapped up in a cloak of earth tones and environmental whispers. If you find yourself drawn to quiet forest nooks, chatting with plants like old pals, or even planning your meals based on what the garden serves up, you might just be tapping into this earthy magic. Coincidentally, with today’s cosmic vibes nudging us toward grounding and reconnecting with what’s real (thanks, Mercury retrograde shaking things up), might be the perfect time to embrace these green witchy hobbies that don’t just soothe the soul but build mental toughness like nobody’s business. Ready to wander local parks, wield some sage, and maybe create a green altar that would make the forest sprites jealous? Let’s dig into how spending more time outdoors and bonding with plants can quietly whip your mind into shape—without you even realizing it. LEARN MORE.
Those who are one with the outdoors — green witches, as we call them — are almost always found in nature and are great herbologists. These witches have the skills to create remedies by simply wandering their local parks! Green witches are notoriously environmentally and socially conscious.
You might be a green witch if you:
To become a green witch, you need to spend time in nature, embracing outdoor hobbies that build mental toughness. Embracing certain attributes, a green witch learns to be grounded in their intentions, and respect for nature is where this form of witchcraft starts.
Advertisement
Baurzhan Kadylzhavov / Pexels
Get familiar with the unique spirit of your surroundings and spend time in nature. Green witches spend a lot of time outside. In most cases, they live close to or directly in a forest. By getting to know what is around you, you can begin to harness the energy needed to be a green witch. Spend time outdoors as much as possible. Feel free to take notes, photos, or write down your thoughts about the elements of nature you are encountering. It’s all about creating a connection with what surrounds you.
A study found that nature’s unpredictable elements act as training grounds for resilience, with outdoor challenges helping your brain learn to function better under stress while building overall mental toughness. Even just 15 minutes observing nature sounds can reduce your stress hormone levels by 23% while your breathing naturally deepens and syncs with nature’s rhythms.
Advertisement
Kevin Malik / Pexels
You can use a journal or other kind of notebook to collect your thoughts on the flora around you, including dreams, observations of nature, the types of plants around, and the properties of each plant that can be used as medicine. This journal will act as a release and a teacher for the information you need to know. Always keep it closeby to ensure that nothing will get left unwritten along your journey.
Advertisement
Gary Barnes / Pexels
Growing herbs and plants play a key role in building mental toughness. That’s why it’s important to begin growing your own items with which you can work. There’s no need to go crazy with it — start small with pots, bags of seeds, soil, and a watering can. You’ll want to pick a spot that gets a lot of sunlight. Some of the best herbs to grow are rosemary, sage, and mint.
Research found that people who gardened weekly had significantly higher mental resilience scores than non-gardeners, particularly in areas like emotional regulation, confidence, and positive thinking. The study showed that one to four hours of weekly gardening time was the sweet spot for building these resilience benefits.
Advertisement
Mikhail Nilov / Pexels
Due to their appreciation for living things, green witches are highly concerned with animal testing and their suffering for food resources, as well as the environmental damage that has been inflicted. With high regard for living among nature, they don’t want to see anything bad done to it. That’s why, in your journey to become a green witch, it’s important to be mindful of where your food comes from. Many green witches forage for food, and if you choose to follow this step, be sure to identify any plant before ingesting it, as some are toxic.
Advertisement
Yaroslav Shuraev / Pexels
This step can be done in your home or in the woods where you feel most at one with nature. Don’t be afraid to get creative with this — just make sure it’s something you admire. Feel free to begin with a small shelf and add objects that represent the elements of water, earth, fire, and air. Then, put in greenery that is symbolic of your favorite trees or plants.
Studies show that outdoor meditation delivers measurable mental health improvements by lowering cortisol and improving heart rate variability, which are key markers of nervous system health. Regular practice essentially builds a mental reset button that rewires your brain toward greater resilience and calm.
Advertisement
Yan Krukau / Pexels
A green witch has a deep love for plants, herbs, and animals — whatever is naturally found in nature. It’s believed that green witches use all of these elements for magical spells. Learning to work with herbs can be tricky at first. Nonetheless, it’s a huge part of becoming a green witch. Start with a few small herbs that are easy to understand, and learn about them. You can even try using them in tea or energy medicine. It’s also important to familiarize yourself with their medicinal properties. Once you feel comfortable with a small set of herbs, move on to learning about others.
Advertisement
Duc Nguyen / Pexels
Green witches are energized when they are under the trees and close to nature, feeling its force among them. Green witches emphasize ecology. Trusting that the planet was created for them, green witches feel responsible for taking care of the earth to ensure it still exists for future generations.
Those who regularly engage in outdoor activities develop significantly higher levels of mental toughness compared to people who don’t. Studies tracking people over multiple years reveal that sustained outdoor engagement creates ongoing improvements in mental resilience and life satisfaction.
Continue to connect with the earth and its elements to ensure that you’re on the right path, can clean your aura, and get rid of the energy you don’t need. Stay grounded and focused on the great benefits of becoming a green witch.
Isabella Pacinelli is a former contributor to YourTango, features editor for Ashland University’s The Collegian, and freelance writer for Medina Weekly News.
Advertisement
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
This will close in 0 seconds
This will close in 0 seconds
', 'https%3A%2F%2Ficonoclasmic.com%2F7-outdoor-hobbies-that-sneakily-toughen-your-brain-and-no-its-not-just-hiking-prepare-to-get-weirdly-resilient%2F')){kind=link}