How are you doing today?
This time of year can be fairly difficult for some.
Here in the UK, the weather is changing,
It’s darker in the mornings and evenings,
And (dare I say it) Christmas is looming…
This is why I think doing more to improve our Mental Sunshine becomes all the more important.
This week’s Mental Sunshine is really simple,
But also really effective in my experience:
Go for a walk!!!
Yes, I know the weather can be questionable at best lately, and you probably feel tired and a bit fed up and just want to go and snuggle up on the sofa.
Me too, to be honest.
However…
Once you get yourself out of that door and get moving, I promise you, it will feel worth it.
You don’t need to walk miles
You don’t need any fancy walking shoes or other equipment
You don’t need to wait for a bright, crisp, autumnal day.
You don’t need to go out into the countryside (though that does help, I’ll admit)
Just set off in any direction, and get your body moving a bit.
I even walked from Waterloo Station to Old Billingsgate yesterday morning, instead of taking the underground and the fresh cool morning air was wonderful…
Taking a walk can have a positive effect on your mood, and that can soon pass on to other people.
As well as this, being a bit more active has numerous health benefits.
Taking a walk on a regular basis can help with everything from improving cardiovascular health to increasing mobility, as well as being good for our mental health.
You don’t need to aim for the fabled 10,000 steps per day – Turns out that number was made up by a company marketing a pedometer in the 1960s!!
Instead, just focus on moving your body and how that feels.
Even if you only walk around the block, you can then revel in that feeling of knowing you’ve managed to get out and move.
