Well don’t you just hate it when you read articles giving advice about how to help yourself feel a bit better, stay positive, or banish the blues!!! I really want to dislike the Grit Doctor who writes in the Health Supplement of the Irish Times every Tuesday, she is as her title suggests tough and gritty and I could imagine that if she was standing behind you that you would experience such a kick up the posterior that it may land you into next week! However, sometimes her words resonate and when she talks about running in such a positive light, helping to keep the body fit, clear the head, raise the endorphins and having that feel good factor to name but a few, it does make a lot of sense.
Now let’s make one thing clear I don’t run, I attempt to which is a major difference! I sometimes think that snails are secretly laughing at me as they over take my slow pace on the footpath. However, even my humble, wobbling attempt tends to lift my mood and does make me feel good about myself. I tend to stop start the old running, doing really well some weeks and then blaming the bad weather for my reluctance to leave my friend the couch on other weeks, but when I make the effort I really feel the benefit. I tend to attempt the walk/run on my own, as firstly I realise my limits, I cannot run and talk at the same time (that may just require a defibrillator at the ready) but secondly and more importantly it helps me gather my thoughts, throw off the day, make plans, I suppose it allows me to talk and to listen to myself. A day can go by in a haze of white noise and/or a blur from morning to bedtime that sometimes I don’t even know how I feel at the end of the day. Therefore, getting out there on my own gives me a chance to listen to how I am feeling, how is the body feeling, what is bothering me or who! It may not solve any problems but it will certainly lift a few off the shoulders.
Now, when I want to talk that is when I go for a walk with my partner or a friend and beat out the issues or troubles as well as the footpath. There is something about getting out in the air, raising the heartbeat, taking in the sights and smells of the sea and talking or listening depending on who had the better or worse day. I think it is sometimes easier to walk and talk as you are shoulder to shoulder with your friend/partner and for some reason, for me, it removes any pressure, tension or judgement out of our meeting, we are both equal, helping each other side by side. The Men’s Shed Association of Ireland, adopt the motto “Men don’t talk face to face; they talk shoulder to shoulder”, what a great motto and an easy one to remember.
Life gets so busy and thoughts get so cluttered that it just sometimes takes a bit of me time to unravel some of the tightly wound knots (and I was a girl guide in my youth!) or at least get someone’s trusted opinion on what is going on. So grab your trainers and a friend and go for a walk and a talk today.
Now let’s make one thing clear I don’t run, I attempt to which is a major difference! I sometimes think that snails are secretly laughing at me as they over take my slow pace on the footpath. However, even my humble, wobbling attempt tends to lift my mood and does make me feel good about myself. I tend to stop start the old running, doing really well some weeks and then blaming the bad weather for my reluctance to leave my friend the couch on other weeks, but when I make the effort I really feel the benefit. I tend to attempt the walk/run on my own, as firstly I realise my limits, I cannot run and talk at the same time (that may just require a defibrillator at the ready) but secondly and more importantly it helps me gather my thoughts, throw off the day, make plans, I suppose it allows me to talk and to listen to myself. A day can go by in a haze of white noise and/or a blur from morning to bedtime that sometimes I don’t even know how I feel at the end of the day. Therefore, getting out there on my own gives me a chance to listen to how I am feeling, how is the body feeling, what is bothering me or who! It may not solve any problems but it will certainly lift a few off the shoulders.
Now, when I want to talk that is when I go for a walk with my partner or a friend and beat out the issues or troubles as well as the footpath. There is something about getting out in the air, raising the heartbeat, taking in the sights and smells of the sea and talking or listening depending on who had the better or worse day. I think it is sometimes easier to walk and talk as you are shoulder to shoulder with your friend/partner and for some reason, for me, it removes any pressure, tension or judgement out of our meeting, we are both equal, helping each other side by side. The Men’s Shed Association of Ireland, adopt the motto “Men don’t talk face to face; they talk shoulder to shoulder”, what a great motto and an easy one to remember.
Life gets so busy and thoughts get so cluttered that it just sometimes takes a bit of me time to unravel some of the tightly wound knots (and I was a girl guide in my youth!) or at least get someone’s trusted opinion on what is going on. So grab your trainers and a friend and go for a walk and a talk today.
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