Walk towards the good in life and one day you will arrive

TRP Challenge 4: Walk to work

My fondest childhood memories come from summers spent holidaying in Cornwall. A particularly pertinent one is of me racing my sister and Grandad up the hill next to Daymer Bay. When we weren't running up the hill, we would stroll along the side of the golf course, explore the sand dunes and trek up to the top. The view from the top was always worth the climb, and Daymer Bay still remains my 'happy place', even though I haven't been for several years now.

When I find myself suffering from severe anxiety, emotional distress or unable to sleep, I close my eyes and picture myself walking along the beach. I breathe in every sensation, the feeling of sand between my toes, the cool Cornish breeze, the smell of salt air & the feeling of the sun on my face. It brings me comfort and allows me a means to escape the distressing place my mind is in. I often imagine myself walking up the hill, looking out over the estuary.

I first used walking as a method of relieving stress & reducing anxiety during my GCSE's. Before exams I always got extremely anxious, sometimes even being sick with the nerves. During revision periods I would take myself out on a walk around the countryside near my family home. Sometimes I would run, although never very far (even though at the time it felt like it, 15 year old me would never believe I ran a marathon this year!)

Living along a canal makes walking to relieve stress or worries easy. Since moving here in October last year, I have found myself going out for walks when my mind & the weather permit it. I try to be mindful, no distractions, no music, no phone. This gives me thinking time. However, sometimes I like to listen to a podcast or a playlist on Spotify to allow me to immerse myself in something over than my own emotions.

Since the weather has started to improve in England, I have started to walk to and from work every day. This totals to around 3 miles a day. During the first month or so I always did so mindfully, I was dealing with a number of things in my personal life & used this time as my 'worry time' before and after work, allowing me to concentrate fully at work, and relax once I got home. Now I sometimes do this, or I listen to a podcast to try and expand my knowledge! I'm not sure whether it is the act of walking itself, the vitamin D or spending at least an hour a day outside, but the benefit to my mental wellbeing has been remarkable.

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