World Mental Health Day: Why Movement, Nature & Connection Matter More Than Ever
Three years ago, my life looked very different. I had just split up with my boyfriend and my closest friend who I spent 80% of my time with could no longer lead the fun social life we had. I felt completely stuck in my job, and after a year of searching for something new — nothing was working out.
In Italy, so much depends on connections, and despite my best efforts, I felt lost and low. I was still training, still running and swimming… but it didn’t help the way it used to. I didn’t feel that spark of progress, something I’ve always craved.
So I went back to basics. I focused on sleeping well, eating better, socialising, and finding another purpose. That was the beginning of a turning point — and, though I didn’t realise it at the time, the start of the Tuscany Run Retreat.
I now see that period as one of life’s pauses…a moment to stop pushing so hard and listen. I had been looking outward for change, but what I really needed was to slow down and reconnect inwardly.
The link between movement and mental health
Sport is often our first tool for mental health — it gives us routine, purpose, and endorphins. But sometimes, when we’re struggling, it’s not enough on its own. We also need space to breathe, connect, and reset.
Research shows that spending time in nature lowers stress hormones and improves mood. Combine that with community — the laughter, the shared miles, the conversations that just flow and you have something incredibly healing.
That’s what I wanted to create through the Tuscany Run Retreat: a space for women to step away from the noise, forget the to-do list, and just be.
We start our mornings with Pilates, a slow, grounding way to wake up the body before our runs, smelling the mint-scented grass. We eat beautiful local food, explore the Tuscan countryside, and have time for reflection.
The whole experience is about peace, connection, freedom, and joy… the kind that comes when you finally make time for you.
Why this matters today
World Mental Health Day is a reminder that looking after ourselves is not selfish, it’s essential.
Whether it’s going for a walk, joining a club, or taking a few days to reset somewhere peaceful, give yourself that permission to pause.
It’s often in those quiet moments that clarity returns and with it, energy, optimism, and self-trust.
If you’re craving space to reconnect with yourself and feel grounded again, maybe this is your sign to do something just for you.
Reset on the Tuscany Run Retreat
Here to meet like-minded women, surround ourselves in nature, and see how the Tuscan-life of simplicity can still do wonders for a reset.
