This morning I realised I have been a little bit of a hypocrite of late. I constantly hammer home the benefits of being outdoors for mental health, for both children and adults. That heading outside just 3 times a week for as little as 20minutes each time really can positively impact your mental health. Doctors here in Scotland can even prescribe this. Enterprises like Clarity Walk are making a real difference to peoples lives.
I know the facts. I know the figures. I know the benefits.
Yet still, I had allowed myself to become a little bit of a hermit. I am working from home (or the log cabin in the garden) and had pretty much stopped heading out anywhere.
Now, we are in a tier 3 area moving into tier 4 but I live in the countryside. There is nothing stopping me going a walk. Yet I wasn’t. Was it laziness, exhaustion, or a symptom of the world we are currently living in? I don’t know.
But I do know that simple thing, of not going out, was having a real impact. I could feel my anxiety growing. My sleep was poor. My mood was dipping.
So today, I got up, got dressed and went a wee walk. I was relieved to be the only car in the carpark. At the start of the walk I saw the painted stone accompanying this post.
And it made me think. “To aim for the highest point is not the only way to climb a mountain”. What did that mean? What did I need to learn from this?
Well, for me, the mountain is juggling work, life, family and the demands of tier 4 and more besides. What is the top of the mountain for me and what would I accept as a win.
But for me to achieve that, I need to look after me.
So, my way to climb the mountain is to start with a simple short stroll. 3 times a week I will ensure I head out for a walk for at least 20 minutes.
Through doing that I can ensure I am looking after my mental health.
If I am looking after my mental health I can then achieve everything I hope to before the end of the year.
My walk today left me energised yet calmer. My shoulders are back to where they should be instead of up around my ears!
So, my question for you today is simple, what do you need to do for you that allows you to climb your mountain?
