An Hour in Nature: Annie Jackson

How daily ocean walks give Annie Jackson a natural high 

Annie Jackson is the co-founder and COO of Credo Beauty, a ‘clean beauty’ company which since 2014 has been changing the way people think about what they put in and on their bodies and skin. She lives on the central Californian coast with her husband, family and dog Gus.  

What’s your favourite thing to do in nature?

Because we live in Santa Cruz, we are lucky enough to spend most of our time outdoors: so it’s hard to choose a favourite.  We have beautiful beaches and Redwood forest trails all around us.  I’d probably have to say an early morning low-tide walk at the beach near our house would be the top of my list.  Our dog absolutely loves the beach and bugs me as soon as the sun is up each morning to get there, but he’s pretty timid in the water. It’s such a cruel irony!

Describe your connection to nature: what positives does it bring to your life? 

The beach and ocean always lower any stress I’m feeling.  The ocean is an amazing reminder that the world is bigger than just my little bubble of work and fast-paced home routines.  We also try to get our team at Credo outside and near the water whenever we can, to reconnect with each other.

What are your fondest memories of spending time in nature?

We joke that my kids don’t know what snow is!  We spend most of our time in the water and at the beach.  We have so many great memories of renting little houses anywhere from chilly Bainbridge Island in Washington state to a crystal clear blue lagoon near Sunset Beach on Oahu, Hawaii, and of course our home in Santa Cruz. 

Many of us are time-poor and might not get out into nature as much as we’d like. Any suggestions for a quick nature-based pick-me up? Something sensory, experiential…? 

Working from home is both a blessing and a curse.  You have more time available for productive work-related use because you are not commuting as frequently; but you have to be disciplined to save some time for yourself as well.  I try really hard to get up and walk, or head down to the beach at some point during the day and get my feet in the sand.  It’s way too easy and so not good for you to stare at your laptop all day long!