One thing that is certain about life is that nothing ever stays the same for long. Life is full of ups and downs. How we cope with and bounce back from the tough times in our lives is determined by our resilience. The good news is there are things we can do to improve our resilience.
It’s been an exceptionally tough year in many ways for me. The last time I had a year like this I really struggled and eventually suffered burnout. However, I feel noticeably more resilient this time round. Why is that? I am putting it down to my routine of taking daily walks in nature.
Modern life is often a non-stop treadmill of working flat out, being plugged-in, switched-on, sleep deprived and chronically stressed. What is missing from most of our lives is quality rest. Rest from (sitting at our desks) working, rest from thinking about our work and problems, rest from our digital lives, rest from urban environments. My suggested antidote: a regular walk in nature.
Going out for daily walks (with or without a dog) is one thing, but I believe where and how you walk is what can switch this up from just going on a walk (which after all is good for our physical health), to going on a restorative walk that promotes resilience. This is both good for our health and our wellbeing.
It you fancy giving this a go, the first thing to consider is when in your day could you make space for a regular walk? Morning, lunch or evening? How can you build this into your routine? Will you do this from home, work or school for example? If you work through the day, I would recommend a lunchtime walk if you possibly can, as this allows you a proper break in the middle of your day. You will also find you are way more productive in the afternoon too. If you can manage more than one walk, brilliant, but I’d suggest you start small and aim for one short walk you can regularly manage and build from there if you want to.
Next, consider where you will go for your walk? Try and find something local to where you will be at your chosen time of day so that distance is not a barrier. Rather than plodding round the city streets, the trick is to find routes that take in some local greenspace – the more natural the better. This could be for example in a park, woodland, or along a tree lined path, river, or canal.
Now you know when and where you are going to walk, the crucial thing is to understand how to walk to maximise the benefits. The point is you want to be in the moment, not a million miles away listening to a podcast, chatting on the phone or scrolling through your social media feeds. Forget wearing headphones and turn the volume down on your phone and put it away. It’s easy, just enjoy being in the moment. Notice what is around you. Use your senses. Feel the weather on your skin, fill your lungs with fresh air, notice the variety and beauty of the plants you see, listen to the birds and insects, feel the texture of the bark of trees you walk past. Just notice what is around you. We’re not aiming for a route march here, feel free to walk slowly and stop and look at things. Be curious about what you see. This will help you to disengage from work and worries and just enjoy the moment. Notice how you feel after the walk.
The simple act of taking a mindful restorative walk in nature on a regular basis, can I believe help us rest and pace our selves which in turn helps us to be more resilient when the going gets tough. Why not give it a go?
‘Sacred rest is soul care. We intentionally step away from the chaos of life. We unplug from noise and distractions. We relish moments of tranquillity.’ – Dana Arcuri
‘In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.’ - John Muir
Comments