Walking Shoes - Walking and Other Exercise

[Guest_1055]

Hey to anyone reading this.

Last night I had an idea about starting a new thread about exercise especially walking. I am aware that walking is very beneficial for our mental, emotional and physical well being. And by actually doing it....well it can make a huge difference to how we cope with the storms that we face in life.

OK, I am not real good at disciplining myself to walk, and have to really push myself to do it. And sometimes it is even hard to leave this bedroom. Anyway I am not a beginner walker, as I have stuck to sort of a plan before. So I know that it does make me feel somewhat better. But I only stayed on the plan for a couple of months, then gave up.....for whatever reason. So here I am again wanting desperately to not fail this time.

So I guess this thread is for anyone that does walk, anyone that is struggling to walk because of depression or anxiety issues. And anyone else really......

I am unsure of the outcome of all this. But my ideas included: Sharing about things we have found out about exercise especially about walking. Writing down the reasons that one would chose to walk ( like something to help motivate). Being accountable in same way. Sharing about the places where we actually do walk, like the beach, gym, around the block, with the dog, out to the clothesline and back. And any other useful tips that could help others. So here we go......

[Eagle Ray]

Hello Everyone,

Today I did two walks. One was in an historical suburb about 20 minutes from where I’m staying in the city at the moment. I saw lots of historical buildings such as a post office, old hotels and churches. The residential homes had a lot of character too.

In the late afternoon I walked with my friend and her baby which was lovely. We stopped at a park and enjoyed seeing kids playing in the playground. We could see new unit complexes going up where triplex units are replacing what was one house as urban density increases. There were people out with their dogs too. It was a lovely walk and not too hot at that time of day.

[Eagle Ray]

Hello again,

 I just wanted to say Sleepy 21 it is great that you are doing those walks in your street. It is a beginning and every bit helps. I find walking in nature really helpful and wherever I have lived I have sought out spots such as around lakes where I can see different water birds, by the ocean and in nature reserves. I quite like privacy at times when walking too as it’s like a way to get away from it all and I do enjoy a sense of my own space. But I do like seeing other people out enjoying walks too. I hope you can find some nice places to walk and that walking may help to make some shifts in your mental health too.

Take care,

Eagle Ray

[Guest_1055]

Hello Mrs D, Eagle Ray, Richu, sleepy. Thankyou for sharing your walks. Love the scent of a frangipani flower Richu. 

Recently I have been walking at early night around the neighbourhood. It is basically a loop. So many coloured Christmas lights and blown up Christmas things in people front gardens. Often I will simply stand there and stare at them. 

[Eagle Ray]

Dear Everyone,

It’s lovely to see Christmas lights on an evening walk isn’t it Shell. I remember being in a suburb with many of them years ago and exploring to see them with my two housemates.

This afternoon I walked again with my friend and her baby. Her baby is so gorgeous and seems to really enjoy being out in the pram. It was quite warm even though late in the day. We went past a park where men were playing cricket wearing their cricket whites. I imagine it was hot for them out there today. We walked past more new triplex homes under construction. Speaking of frangipanis, we actually saw several including white ones, yellow ones and ones that were a mix of pink and yellow. I love their scent too.

[Guest_1055]

Walking slowly on the breakwall. what do I see? The moving water in the port, it has ripples, it is a deep greeny colour

Tying to get myself into the present moment. 

[Guest_1055]

Here the wind

[Eagle Ray]

Hello Shell,

How are you going? It can be good to hear and feel the wind, see the colour and ripples in the water. Hope you are doing ok.

I don't have a walk to report from today. I did manage a short walk across the road late afternoon yesterday I think it was. There were small birds well hidden in the undergrowth of the woodland. As I came out to the clearing I walk up before getting home I disturbed 3 kangaroos. One of them was quite big. They saw me first and were bounding off before I realised they were there.

Take care and hugs,

ER

[Guest_1055]

Hey ER, I also like how you notice birds and other animals around you. It's beautiful.

I have been struggling quite a bit of late, well actually longer then that. I am hoping once I come through this challenging and painful season in my life, I will be stronger and perhaps a different and wiser girl. Yes I still call myself a girl, because emotionally I still feel like one. I even like to play Lego and watch some children's movies, and build sandcastles in the sand .

Anyways I think I do feel more calmer and not so much in distress and in the " far away".

The walk helped me. I walked on the breakwall, then around the coast, then walked through a more city street on the way back. It was a bit longer. But I am so glad I did because I walked past old terrace houses, of which I have never really looked at so much. I felt like I was in a different era in a different country. I am almost crying because I enjoyed this different route so much. I loved the historical houses. I looked down beneath the front door to another level of the terrace house. Very unusual the level was lower then the street. I could see in their front window. I didn't look for too long for I didn't want to disturb the owners. But it was so very lovely and unique. 

I then walked on and sat on a park bench for quite a while. Noticing the fresh breeze on me. I felt so cool. 

Are you alright?

Gentle hug back to you

[Eagle Ray]

Hello dear Shell,

The terrace houses sound lovely. I do that sometimes too, imagining I am back in another historical era. A couple of years ago I was walking on country backroads that were made of gravel past farms with old machinery. I felt like I was an itinerant worker during the Great Depression looking for a farm to work on. It's kind of nice to let the imagination wander.

I am sorry you are struggling but I understand. I think what you say is very true, that passing through challenging times does lead to becoming wiser and stronger. I also feel like parts of me are still a girl too. I feel like parts of me had to be an adult very early while other parts of my childhood self got neglected at the time, so those parts are still a child now really. I'm trying to bring the two parts together into a unified whole. But I also think there is nothing wrong playing with Lego, watching children's movies and building sandcastles. I think all adults could benefit from such activities! In fact I think those activities are self-nurturing and a way we can care for the inner child part of ourselves. It is good to still be able to access that playfulness, imagination etc.

It is good to be aware of all those sensory things isn't it, the way the breeze and temperature feels. This morning here it has been a bit rainy with some thunder which is quite lovely actually after a couple of hot days. It's kind of atmospheric and the birds are very active and seem to love this weather.

I am doing ok. I have had a rough time lately, mostly linked to really destabilising hormonal changes. But I think the hormonal meds I'm on are starting to stabilise things a bit. I had no idea I would hit such severe anxiety and depression in relation to hormones. I think mostly women don't talk about it so it's kind of a hidden issue, so it can be a shock when you hit perimenopause and all this stuff starts happening that's much more severe than anything you expected. But at least I'm understanding it now rather than feeling like I'm going mad.

I am enjoying the atmospheric morning here. I hope you are having a lovely day.

Gentle hug to you too xx

[Eagle Ray]

Hello Everyone,

Today I went for a walk in the late afternoon down where the river/estuary runs into the ocean. Sometimes the water can be almost all the way up to the grassed area by the car park. Other times it’s about 100m to the water as it was today. It is an ever changing landscape. Dogs are allowed here and I saw several, including a smallish white one that looked like a Jack Russell cross and a big fluffy black and white one. I noticed how there were a range of water birds down there and that they seemed to co-exist fairly peacefully with the dogs who occasionally chased them but then they’d just settle on another spot on the beach. There were oystercatchers, gulls and a large group of Pacific Black Ducks on the beach. Some coronorants flew past and flocks of galahs crossed over the river. I was delighted to see a little female Red-Capped Plover too, one of my favourite little birds.

On the way down the beach there were sand islands that were easy to walk through the shallow water to get to, but on my way back these were almost covered by the tide. I saw a sea hare washed up on the beach. There was quite a bit of seaweed. There was also a cloud of moisture, like a kind of sea mist over the whole area. That is quite common here. Sometimes I will be just sitting at home and I’ll suddenly feel this cool, moist air just drift in, even when there’s no wind. It is quite a noticeable, refreshing feeling.

Right now from home I can hear the ocean absolutely roaring at the river mouth. It is very still.