When I moved to Sweden’s second city, I didn’t expect to be so close to nature: forests, lakes and long walking trails connecting you to everything. I assumed it’d be too cold most of the time to enjoy being outside. I was so wrong! Discovering and celebrating nature has become an instrumental part of my well-being in Sweden.
Like a lot of expats, I arrived with a mix of curiosity, excitement and low-key stress: trying to learn the language, find employment, figure out the paperwork and seek connections in a culture that is known to be a bit cold to outsiders. Life felt pretty peaceful but quiet in a way that left me on the outskirts of my life rather than living it.
And then I started going outside like a Swede, whatever the weather.
At first, it was out of the urgency to soak up rare moments of sun, even when it was cold. A quick loop around the lake turned into wandering onto forest paths without much of a plan, just walking, and feeling surprisingly safe doing it alone in a way I wouldn’t have back in the US.
This became something I looked forward to, even when it wasn’t nice out. I stepped out in windy rain that made my umbrella useless, gray skies that mimicked dusk in the middle of the day and with piles of slush on the ground, and I – surprisingly – found something calming there. I started noticing the changing seasons in a way I hadn’t before: the wet smell of pine trees, the pops of pink in spring, summer’s green abundance, the deep hush of snowy days and the rich reds and golds of fall. It was the beginning of a deeper shift, an expanding love of the natural world.
Swedes take the outdoors seriously
Swedes really love being outside. Rain, wind, snow, pitch darkness; they still go for walks and dips in the lake. I’ve seen people bundled in full winter gear, adults sipping coffee from a thermos on a park bench and children playing in the rain.
The mindset is that there’s no bad weather, just bad clothing! So, I learned how to layer and bought a pair of spiked snow boots.
There’s even a word for this way of being: friluftsliv, or “open-air life.” But more than a word, it’s a philosophy. It’s not about counting steps or taking Instagram photos. It’s being outside because it feels good, in your body, for your spirit. Whether it’s camping, picking blueberries or walking on a soft bed of moss in the woods, it’s about reconnecting to something slower and more human.
From routine to ritual
This rhythm showed up in other areas of my life. I started growing a few herbs on my windowsill, then tomatoes in pots using old containers and whatever was accessible. I soon ended up with a balcony full of plants. What started as a little thing to do to pass the time evolved into a newfound passion for gardening and then into the defining project of my livelihood.
I shared some of the plants I grew and then, with the help of like-minded spirits, opened a couple small plant stands at local cafés. It has become a reflection of the same values: patience, care and environmental consciousness.
If you’re curious, you can find it on Instagram.
A different kind of self-care
I used to think self-care meant something you had to buy or schedule. But Swedish nature taught me it can also be quiet, simple and free. Just being outside is enough. Nature doesn’t demand anything. It doesn’t care how you look or what mood you’re in. It just gives you space.
It’s the same lesson I keep learning from growing things. You can’t rush roots. A seed doesn’t grow faster because you check it five times a day. Everything unfolds in its own time.
Not a cure, but a companion
Nature doesn’t fix everything. I still have hard days, still feel stuck or overwhelmed sometimes. But I know now that I can step outside, even just for 10 minutes, and find a little serenity. And that’s often enough.
In a calming and steady way, nature became a kind of therapy. Not one that gives advice, but one that listens. That reminds me I’m part of something bigger and I don’t have to carry it all alone.
A simple invitation
If you’re new to Sweden or just haven’t explored much, I really recommend that you find a patch of trees or water – even a small one – and visit it often. Bring your thoughts, your coffee, your messiness. Let nature hold it with you.
It’s not to escape your life, but to remember that you’re part of it.
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Read more about Sweden here in Dispatches’ archives.
Jess Bretin
Jess Bretin is a communications and content specialist, and an American living in Gothenburg, Sweden. While in the states, she spent 2 years on the road living in a van and visited every state. She then married a Frenchman, so she has spent alot of time in France. Jess is also a singer/songwriter in a rock band and loves to cook and stand-up paddle board.
See her posts here:
• Walk like a Swede, talk like a Swede: How to make friends in Sweden
• Chistmas in Sweden: Tradition, light and togetherness
• The cost of living in Sweden 2025: What's actually going on.
