It’s actually a thing: researchers define nature connectedness as the psychological closeness a person has with Nature. They’ve found high levels improve people’s sense of wellbeing, boundaries, and identity. But for all the Nature programs out there, this psychological focus is missing.

Instead, the focus is on outdoor fun, achievement, teambuilding, science, wilderness skills, introspection, yoga… people are exposed to Nature but left to find connection on their own. They aren’t taught that connectedness is like an interpersonal relationship with the natural world. A relationship characterized by meaningful contact, quality time, and personal growth, where awe, gratitude, and inspiration factor in, self-absorption takes a back seat, and feelings of oneness bring peace, empathy, and outward focus.

Couple this understanding with the recognition that Nature does not have to be a pristine nor remote place, it’s really an expression of Earth that’s present everywhere. Knowing this, the benefits of connectedness are within reach of everyone, no matter where they are. Now with a path that leads directly to connection, there’s never been a better time to start the journey.

With the foundation in place, the rest of learning can begin. The plotlines fit snugly onto the foundation of love and realms to form a framework. These aren’t detailed explanations, but general truths established by science. They can be used like a Rosetta Stone for the natural world, providing enough of Earth’s key narratives to shed some light on nearly everything in Nature we humans will encounter.

In their absence, we are left with human-centric plotlines to make sense of our outdoor experiences, plotlines like the battle between good and evil, overcoming hardship to reach success, and man conquering Nature. But these describe so little of what’s happening outdoors that very little is retained, or even noticed.

Using a different set of deliberately crafted narratives could catapult our experience of the natural world to a higher level. Plotlines based on science marry credible, reliable information with the ancient appeal of story. Presenting them as tales—with Earth as the protagonist—doubles down on this appeal, while expanding the concept of realms makes it easier to grapple with the new ideas. And at this point on the path, including examples from the real world turns our attention back to it.

Building on a commitment to love with an understanding of Earth’s most basic parts creates a strong foundation for connectedness. First, a sidebar to recognize how strange it is living our lives on Earth without a good idea of what it’s all about. But, the world has been too big for us to perceive, and cultures, customs, and economic practices have come from a time when we didn’t grasp Earth in its totality.

Now we know so much more about what our planet is and does, but we’ve delegated that knowledge to scientists. As inhabitants of Earth, each one of us should be entitled to a basic working understanding of this planet. After all, shows about other worlds provide an overview, and they make those imaginary places seem a lot more intriguing than this real planet.

In spite of our sophistication in many things like legend, fantasy, and visuals, as a society we’re naive about the gift that is this Earth. Capitalizing on our strengths to shore up our weaknesses, this overview dresses up science and facts by giving them the same treatment as fantasy. It also asks of us to suspend disbelief and rebuild our ideas about Earth from the ground up.

This first step addresses the very core of connection: unconditional love for our planet. Without it, connectedness is an uphill battle, because it must compete with everything else for our attention, time, and commitment. The competition uses every psychological lever to win, so that’s where the path to connection must also start.

Choosing to love Earth requires willingness and awareness. To make these easier, the step points out negative societal influences that can block progress, influences that range from society shaping how we spend our time and attention to the things we learn and attitudes we hold. It establishes Earth as a relatable and awesome being to love, and it asks for commitment, thus bringing our identity and integrity to bear.

In contrast to what you might expect, this approach doesn’t start by venturing into the wilderness with the hope that love will eventually blossom. Instead, it ventures into our consciousness, arguing that love for our planet is the prerequisite. The strategy is to start with the biggest battle and clear the landmines right from the start, psychological approaches that are fair game when the stakes are so high.