Freedom and Healing in the Daily Walk
Speaking to other women in particular this month, it's been an emotional time in our world with headlines in the news that pull at our heartstrings and make one question our beliefs, our life, our feelings, our freedoms, and how we'll move ahead with peace and less anger in our lives. Secondary trauma from seeing coverage about mass shootings, court rulings, upsetting news headlines, and such is a real thing that therapists know is affecting people out there. Your body feels it in ways that might be described as anger, sadness, anxiety, or frustration. There are steps you can take in your daily life to provide some relief with one of these being a daily walk.
Make it Your Own
The one thing I and many of the woman in my life stick to through thick and thin is a daily walk to help us stay grounded. For those that may have a physical limitation or live in a place that isn't safe for outdoor walks, think of your daily walk in a way that makes sense for you. It may be going for a ride in your wheelchair, sitting outside on a bench in a park, or standing in your apartment with your favorite tunes in your earbuds while you stretch or dance. It's during these time outs from children, household chores, work, and partners, that we can be with our own thoughts and what makes us uniquely happy.
Go Wild, Enjoy, Sweat
When I think back to difficult times, I have memories of walks in other countries or states when I was in the Air Force or trying to decide my future in high school, college, or relationships. I can visualize the roads in Arkansas, forest walks in Washington, cobblestone hills in Italy, lakeside walks in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and hot dry paths in Texas. The one thing in common they all had was me on my own with my music, nature, and maybe a bit of sweat. Try using Spotify on your next walk to sample a new type of music. Maybe you love folk tunes and didn't even know it. Today I found "Good Morning Jams" which I wouldn't normally pick, but was fun to listen to. Songs like, "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves was a surprisingly uplifting find. Making your own playlists is fun too. Go wild and put together that list of alternative, grunge, and hard rock even your closest friends don't know you really love! If you don't know how, believe me, your kids do and will help.
The Tail is Wagging, Outside is Good!
The powerful effects of music include lowering anxiety, improving mood, and reducing cortisol. Cortisol, a naturally produced hormone in the body, is one of those things that is good to a point but can have negative effects on the body when the supply is too high, i.e. anxiety, weight gain, brain fog, etc. If possible, taking your walk outside surrounded by nature is also going to be beneficial in this area. Ever notice how good it feels to take a deep breath when the lilacs are blooming or you are near pine trees? Yum. When your dog hears, "outside" and the tail starts wagging, there's that same anticipation. Outside is good, it's healing, and it's where we are meant to be. I often ask my clients if they get outside at least 20 minutes daily and it's surprising to hear that people often don't. It's part of our busy culture to be inside or on the computer for much of the day. See if you can start small, with 5-10-minute short walks, and work your walk up to 20-30 minutes daily.
She's Laughing out Loud Again
Walking meditations are another great way to add some mindfulness to your life while you're getting exercise. This is a wonderful self-affirming and healing walking meditation you can play on your next walk - "30 Minute Walking Meditation for Manifesting, Abundance and Self-Love" by Marianna Hewitt on Spotify. I find walks a good time to listen to podcasts. My other favorites include "The Moth Radio Hour" which is everyday people telling their inspiring stories and Story Corps with the goal of preserving the stories of people from all walks of life. If you see a woman walking alone laughing out loud it might be me listening to one of these podcasts. A new one I came upon this week was "#SistersInLaw" which is a team of four female legal and political experts discussing the issues of the day. I heard some great discussions about issues I care about and ways these women were dealing with their internal struggles with recent world events. Download Podcasts or Stitcher to your phone to listen to whatever kind of podcast might be entertaining, educational, or healing for you.
