I always find that walking is one of those things that just makes you feel a lot better when you’re in a bad situation. It’s a really good way of blowing off some steam and releasing a lot of bottled up stress and emotions.
Walking isn’t going to solve all of your problems, but I find it can be a temporary help when you’re in need. Especially if your mental health is troubling you, and you just need time alone. Sometimes, it’s the simple things in life that bring you the most joy and help you through your tough problems.
What I want to do today is talk you through a few things you can do to plan the perfect stress relieving walk. This ensures you get the most out of it and will return home feeling in a much better mental state.
Wear The Right Footwear
I know a lot of us like looking stylish wherever we go. No doubt some of you have a large shoe collection that you can’t wait to dig into whenever you go out. But, if you want to get the most out of your walk, you need to wear the right footwear. I find that running trainers are often the best as they’re built with lots of support for your feet. I think places like Size? or any other shoe shop sells them. Get your hands (or feet) on some trainers with plenty of support to make sure you don’t get sore feet on your walk. I’m bad for this and find myself usually wearing converse, which aren’t the worst but certainly aren’t the best.
Get A Playlist Ready
I think a lot of people find that music can be a real saviour in those dark times in your life. I certainly enjoy listening to music as a way of releasing me from the world at times. Combine music with your walk, and you’ll have the ultimate recipe for relieving stress. Put together a playlist before you walk, get your headphones out, and just drown out the rest of the world. In fact, you could even take the easy way out and go on streaming sites like Spotify that already have stress relief playlists created by other users.
Walk At The Right Time
The timing of your walk also has some significance here. If you walk when it’s really busy and the pathways are packed full of people, it can increase your stress rather than decrease it. I find it’s best to walk when there aren’t many people about. Early in the morning is a great idea as it’s usually nice and calm and you use this walk to start your day. I’m also a huge fan of that period in the late summer afternoons when no one’s around, but it’s not quite evening. There’s just something in the air at that time of day, everything just feels right!
Walk In The Right Place
I know not everyone lives near to beautiful mountains or rivers, but try to find somewhere thats interesting and comforting. If you live near Liverpool like me there are so many parks and some beautiful spots near the Mersey to walk to, and I’m sure theres places similar near to you too if you live somewhere else.
I know there are many of you reading this that do struggle with stress and other problems. I can only hope that this piece has helped you find a new way to deal with your issues. Take yourself on a nice long and peaceful walk, and you’ll feel so much better. Just make sure you follow my advice to guarantee your walk is nice and relaxing instead of more stressful.
-Dana
Carry on Beautiful! 