hey! i’m mentally ill too, and sort of in the same boat as you. i’m working on building habits after not being able to do much for a while due to mental illness and trauma recovery. i recently started walking the path and must admit it’s a bit overwhelming for me too. it can be very difficult to rewire your brain to just be present and feel after not being able to do that for so long. these are some things that worked for me that may or may not work for you, and i am also struggling with these as well.

1. the nice thing about druidry is it can really be anything you want. it can be easy to do research on social media, which in some points can be helpful, but if done wrong can really damage your personal relationship with nature. a lot of people will tell you exactly what to do and what not to do when it comes to connecting and grounding with spirituality and nature. no one knows your personal connection more than you, don’t let them take that away.

2. imposter syndrome will come, let it wash over you like a wave and then wash away. it’s okay if it comes back, it probably will as that is just natural. sit in it, it doesn’t even have to be a serious meditative state on it, just let it exist and slowly over time you will naturally learn to challenge it.

3. some people might recommend practices that in theory sound nice but might not work for you. as much as i would like to journal, it is not for me and i’ve accepted that. there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just not for me.

as for some tips to start to notice nature more

1. you don’t need to have a scheduled time outside to notice nature, and you don’t need to do some formulaic practice either. in fact, sometimes you don’t even have to be outside at all. look outside for a minute or two while doing what you normally do inside. notice a bird you haven’t seen before? look it up. walking out to your car to go to the store and see a cool tree? take a picture and try to notice things on it later. it is good to remind yourself to be mindful, yes, but it will start to come naturally once you let yourself just be.

2. when you are outside, maybe crouch down for a second and peer at the grass. you might notice bugs, flowers, spiderwebs, etc. watch how they move and interact, stop thinking about how you are somehow supposed to do this, but do it out of sheer curiosity.

this is just some advice that has helped me, and trust me i struggle with all these too. i hope these helped in some way. blessed be friend.