I begin with wishing you all a very Happy New Year and all the best for 2024!
As it is the new year, and as is often the custom, we make resolutions for things we plan to do or accomplish in the new year. Often, I believe, many resolutions have to do with
exercise, starting new exercise routines, etc. This leads me to my blog subject about walking.
My favorite form of exercise is walking. I love to get outside and go walking daily, if the weather permits. I have been doing so for a few years. Prior to retiring, I would
try for just getting in a 30 minute walk each day that I could and longer on the weekends. Now that I am retired, I have worked up to walking at least 4 miles a day, again weather permitting.
Not only is it great exercise, but it also is great for focusing my attention on something more uplifting. I can also utilize that time to employ my imagination for creative
problem solving, figuring out how to go about creating something in my life or often these days, planning what I wish to write about - whether it is in a blog post or a new book
I am writing. It can be another means to tap into that creative energy I have spoken of previously.
It can also be an escape, where I can pretend that I am somewhere else. That I have even stepped into an alternate reality where anything is possible and I am totally
free of stress and so forth.
There are times when I am tired or maybe not in the most positive frame of mind. I find that if I go walking, I am able to change that. By the end of my walk, I find
there has been a 180° turnaround in my energy, attitude or whatever else may have needed addressing.
Where I walk, I encounter people walking their dogs or riding their bikes or they are walking or bike riding with their children. With regards to those walking their dog(s),
I feel you can just sense the joy and love these animals embody. Talk about “feeling the love,” it is definitely uplifting. Some of these dogs have such personalities that just
shine forth from them. One can’t seem to help but smile. To me, it is an extra bonus and benefit of my walk.
Some would say I am a cat person because I have a cat, but I love animals
in general. If I lived in a large enough place with a yard or some acres of land, I would have a dog as well as a cat. Granted, technically, I am allergic to pet and animal dander and
fur, but as someone once told me, the love we get from our animals far outweighs the allergy. I even did a specific form of acupuncture to overcome my allergy.
It didn’t alleviate it 100% but it did allow me to live with my cat, for which I am most grateful.
Of course, I realize that during winter, getting outside to walk may prove problematic due to the weather. For me, there are issues with it can be too cold or cold
and too windy, raining or snowing, etc. For those days, I do have an alternate form of exercise. But weather permitting, I do still try to endeavor to get out and go walking
when I can.
For some, you may have long periods of inclement weather or large amounts of snowfall that prevents you from getting out for many days. I realize walking may be something that
is best done spring through fall. But, if you are so inclined and are able to do so (and I stress if you are so inclined), I would encourage you to get out and go walking
(if you aren’t already). You can certainly start out with short walks and build up to longer ones, again, if you are so inclined. As always, I wished to speak on the subject of walking
as it works for me. Again, I just wished to share this with you.
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