Gwenda Smith Walk your way to happiness

Article GWENDA SMITH

Walking is something most of us have the privilege to be able to do, movement that allows us to get from anywhere to somewhere.

These days many people are very sedentary and the furthest they walk is to the coffee pot.

A visit to the Dr (if that’s your gig) and you’re told; “You need to lose weight”, “Your blood pressure is too high” or “You have diabetes 2”, clearly you are not into exercise, so most often people will hit the pavement, beach or park and start walking. This awesome simple movement we take for granted is so much more than ‘just walking’.

Walk your way to a healthier and happier you.

Here are some very important fundamentals you need to know before you strike the pavement. By putting these fundamental basics in place you will be able to continue walking without injuring yourself, stay motivated and achieve results first and your end goal.

1. Appropriate shoes that provide good ankle and arch support. Most often people hit the pavement and they are not in good physical condition, often having lack of stability in their ankles, knees, and hips. They throw on their old gardening shoes or sneakers, even thongs!

2. Don’t use some old pair of gym, gardening shoes or flats you haven’t worn for ages. Invest in a lovely new pair of good walking shoes.

3. Warm up your body or walk for 3-5 minutes then stop and do some stretching of your calves, upper legs, and full-body.

4. Your posture is very important when you walk. Be sure to stand up tall, this means lifting your chest up off your waistline. Gently roll your shoulders back and place them down.

5. Stride with strength and purpose, this means pick your feet up, place them down firmly with intent, rather than shuffle or drag your feet.

6. Check your breathing – that might sound strange, but it is important to be aware of your breathing.

7. Keep your mind in the space of walking rather than let it wander off to something you might be doing later or something you are worried about.

8. Have water with you and drink it.

9. Stop and stretch every 10 minutes in these early days.

10. Choose a goal – either distance or time.

11. Keep your focus on what you have achieved today, not where you want to be!

12. If you use distance as a goal, add a little spice to that by reducing the time it takes you to walk it by 30 seconds initially to a minute to 2 minutes and so on.

Now you are ready to walk your way to happiness.

You can walk your way to happiness, improve your mental clarity, inner peace, and joy by following these simple steps:

1. Look around you, take in the colours of the sky, the grass, and plants.

2. Notice the flight of birds, sounds of their chatter and the smell of trees and gardens.

3. Take a moment to look out as far as you can see, give a thought of gratitude for the gift of sight.

4. Keep your posture strong and uplifted, your eyes forward. I can tell the H.E.A.L.T.H. of a person just by the way they walk!

5. Choose a quiet, beautiful spot to stop and pause. Here you will take 5 long slow deep breaths in and out.

6. Most importantly keep your thoughts on being aware of how you are feeling right in the moment. Stay focused on the wonders you can see.

7. Take the time to think of all the things that you can be grateful for.

8. Observe the beauty of you and all that is around you.

9. Pat a dog!

Walk your way to happiness every day.

www.healwithgwenda.com