"I don't need anything anymore": How 24 hours alone in nature changed everything
Roos Moll,
owner of Nature Quest
Roos Moll, founder of Nature Quest, has spent years guiding people into nature, often on their own and often for longer than they initially feel comfortable with. One experience, however, has stayed with her ever since.
A few years ago, she took a participant from a large corporate organisation on one of her programmes. The day before a solo nature assignment, he openly admitted that camping wasn't really his thing. He also shared his ambition: no matter what he achieved, he always seemed to want more. A bigger house. A higher income. The next milestone.
As part of the programme, he spent 24 hours alone in nature.
When Roos picked him up the following day, his perspective had shifted. ‘‘He looked at me and said, Roos, I don't need anything anymore. I'm going to buy a mountain bike, go camping with my girlfriend, and just enjoy life.’’
For Roos, moments like these capture the value of spending time in nature. Whether people go out alone or with a group, she sees the same pattern emerge time and again. People slow down. They become more present, more relaxed, and often gain a clearer sense of what really matters to them.
"Nature reconnects us with things we've lost touch with," she says. "Simplicity. Calm. A sense of who we are."
In a world shaped by artificial intelligence, constant notifications and an endless flow of information, Roos believes that connection to ourselves is becoming increasingly important. Questions such as Who am I? and How do I actually feel about everything happening around me? are easily drowned out by the noise of everyday life.
‘‘Nature helps bring those questions back into focus.It's like a mirror. We can stand in exactly the same place, yet everyone experiences something different. What you notice often tells you something about yourself."
The qualities she sees emerge most often in participants aren't complicated: authenticity, calm, connection and perspective. She has seen ambitious executives reassess their priorities and young people discover that silence doesn't have to be uncomfortable.
Roos calls it tuning out. Stepping away from the constant pressure to do more, achieve more and consume more. And perhaps that's one of the most valuable things nature still offers us today: the space to slow down long enough to hear ourselves think.
More from Roos
Want to experience what Roos describes? Nature Quest offers leadership and team programmes in nature, from a one-day team quest to a year-long journey. Connect with Roos on LinkedIn.