Last week’s Monday Wellness Tip introduced the concept of ‘forest bathing,’ the practice of walking in nature, noticing the colours, sounds and smells, being fully present in order to relax deeply. Walking in itself is a wonderful way to increase feelings of wellbeing. In this Monday Wellness Tip we’ll look at how you can walk your way to wellness: in body, mind and spirit.
We often think of exercise as something that you need to sweat over. Unless you’re really pushing yourself, you’re not working out. However, there’s more to health than aerobic exercise. Walking may seem like running’s lazy cousin, but there’s plenty of evidence to show that moderate exercise is excellent for health and fitness. Brisk walking for 30 minutes a day five times a week is a great way to get the most out of this easy exercise. Try getting off the train one stop before your workplace and walking the rest of the way. You’ll be amazed by how energetic and alert you’ll feel once you sit down at your desk.
Take a quick glance at the statistics and you’ll see how good walking is for your physical wellbeing: it can help you live longer, improve your heart health, reduce risk of stroke, lose weight, boost your immune system and lower blood pressure – but what about the mental health benefits? Exercise is one of the best ways to manage mental stress, and walking is a stress-free, low-pressure form of exercise. Many doc tors recommend regular exercise for people with depression and anxiety – the happy hormones released from exercise can be just as effective in boosting mood as anti-depressants!
A key aspect of good mental health is to have adequate social support. Walking with friends is a great way to socialise – you can enjoy a casual conversation, have a heart-to-heart with your mate, or even get to know someone new in a group. Try to think of novel ways you could team up social activities and walking: try a historical walking tour in the city, take a friend to a beach that’s only accessible via walking, or join an interesting MeetUp.com group like Coffee-Walk-Talk or Silent Bush Walks so you can explore your interests in the company of likeminded people, all while taking steps to improving your health.
Walking opens you up to the world in a way that more intensive exercise doesn’t have time for. Think of the 19th century French symbol of the flâneur – the man of leisure, urban explorer, strolling through the streets deep in thought. Walking has long been associated with the philosophical and spiritual aspects of life. Modern-day pilgrims walk to Mecca or along the Camino de Santiago for spiritual growth and surrender. Poets like Wordsworth and Basho walked to commune with the spirit of nature, composing poetry while on foot. The act of walking itself is a creative process. Creativity expert Julia Cameron recommends Artist Walks: taking a weekly 1-hour walk to open yourself to inspiration, new ideas and faith in your creativity.
Walking restores us to a sense of wellbeing and reminds us of the gift of life. As Rumi said, “Beauty surrounds us, but usually we need to be walking in a garden to know it.” The ‘garden’ can be anywhere, urban or rural – by walking, the world becomes our garden.
We hope you enjoyed our Monday wellness tip! This is the second in a series of tips we will be sharing with you on a weekly basis, each Monday morning.
Be sure to register for The Wellness Show which will be held 1 – 3 April 2016 at the Hordern Pavilion & Royal Hall of Industries in Sydney. It’s free!
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