Positivity Corner: Walking Three Times Daily
Cover image from Unsplash.com
Even though I’m a runner who hits the trail three to five days a week, I like to take walks thrice daily whenever possible. When I first get up, after lunch, and right before the sun goes down, I’m out there, stalking through the snow or meandering a sun-kissed trail through the neighborhood.
With all the running I do, you might think it’s a little weird that I bother with walking so much each day on top of my jogging adventures, but I’ve found that they do wonders in several areas of my health.
Three Walks Per Day Helps My Mental Health
In the early morning, a bright (or gray) sky helps to set the mood for the day. I’m out, I’m active, and I’m getting my body in motion. This not only helps me physically, but it helps to set my mind for the day. I tend to think all night long, even in my sleep. Getting out on a trail with the birds and the squirrels is life-giving for a nature nut stuck in the city.
Three Walks Each Day Helps Declutter My Mind
My brain is constantly on overload. As a full-time content writer and journalist, and part-time novelist, I’m jotting down ideas, sending out pitches, contemplating new stories, scripts, and novels just about every waking hour.
But I have a life! I’m married to a wonderful man, my aging mother lives with me and needs assistance at times, and we have three crazy cats who demand our constant attention.
Walking several times throughout the day helps to de-junk my brain. I can work through the stuff that’s in my head, rattling around. And working through it clears out my thoughts and frees up space for life apart from work.
Multiple Walks Keeps Me Active Throughout the Day
I used to work at active jobs, as a nanny, dog walker (plus, biking my route!), recess coach, tennis coach, home organizer, etc. Until becoming a full-time writer, I only sat down for a couple of hours a day. Now, I am on my butt for most of the day.
I keep active throughout the day by walking and getting up every 25 to 30 minutes and moving for five minutes, plus doing my running, yoga, dance cardio, stationary cycling, and weight training. These three walks help take me past the “basics” of my day and keep my body more fluid and relaxed.
But the days I don’t take these three walks? I don’t get up as much. I don’t exercise as easily. I don’t get in nearly as much movement and I wind up stiff and achy. And grumpy.
Even Five Minutes Can Make a Difference
If you’re not able to go walking for longer periods but still want to benefit from taking three walks, you can. Even five or ten minutes per walk can make a huge difference. Try it for a month. Set an alarm each morning, midday, and night and get out there.
Even if all you can do is pace the hallway in your apartment building or meander throughout the house, you will find that your body and brain thank you.
Adapted from original blog post by Rita Mock-Pike.
Need some more fitness inspiration for your creative life? We’ve got a whole series on that…
- Rekindling Creativity for a Healthy Lifestyle – Fitness for Creatives
- Race You to the Finish: A Look at Virtual Races – Fitness for Creatives
- Memorial Runs for Global Running Day – Positivity Corner
- Travel = Lazy Summer Days – Fitness for Creatives
- City Cycling – Positivity Corner
- 26.2 Life Lessons: Helping You Keep Pace with the Marathon of Life – Nonfiction Running Book Review
Editor-in-Chief of The MockingOwl Roost, Rita Mock-Pike is the granddaughter of aviatrix, Jerrie Mock, first woman to pilot an airplane solo around the world. Rita has found inspiration from her grandmother’s life and flight and pursued many of her own dreams in theatre, podcasting, novel writing, and cooking up delicious food from around the world. She now writes on food, travel, pets, faith, and the arts. She’s happily married to Matt, and faithfully serves the very fluffy kitten queen, Lady Stardust.
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