So, how did I take advantage of something so negative?
I walked. Simple, yet very effective.
Being told to stay indoors has to be one of the hardest instructions that mankind has had to follow, right?
Technically our rights of freedom had been stripped from us. So, with the little liberty we had left. I used it to walk.
During the lockdowns, the government outlined that we were allowed to leave the house (thank God), but we had to limit our exercise to once per day.
I took advantage, did you? The only restriction within that was that you couldn’t leave your local area. Thankfully, there wasn’t a limit on how long you could exercise for…I hope you all are following.
I walked at least three or four times a week for hours, and I mean hours! More often that not, I would leave in the morning and not return until later that evening.
You are probably thinking, “where on earth did you go?”, but trust me, when there is a will, there is a way. I discovered several places in my local area that I hadn’t explored before such as, parks, new routes, and unheard-of open spaces.
I walked a lot before the pandemic struck in the late months of 2019, but it has increased since the lockdowns have occurred.
A part of me feels ashamed that it took a national lockdown for me to go and explore the gems that I had right under my nose, in my own area. But I don’t beat myself up too much for it.
I love walking, as you can probably tell and have reaped numerous benefits from it. Getting out of the house and walking is a saving grace for your sanity, not to mention the physical advantages as well.
According to walkingforhealth.org, ‘physically active people have up to a 30% reduced risk of becoming depressed and staying active helps those who are depressed recover’. I believe a lot of us could do with going on a walk, at least once a week.
I’d be surprised if nobody has taken the opportunity to do so already, but the lockdown hits everybody different I guess.
I mean I just went for it, I seized the opportunity to be out more, instead of staying indoors with the possibility of my thoughts consuming me.
Breathing in fresh air is so relaxing. I also tend to walk near water a lot, as I believe it can improve my mood and help things appear clearer in my mind.
PsychCentral in a new Spanish study found that ‘taking short, frequent walks along blue spaces – areas that prominently feature water, such as beaches, lakes, rivers or fountains – appear to have a positive effect on people’s mental health, mood and vitality’.
I know some of you are itching to get back to a normal world and don’t know how much longer you can last in a lockdown.
I personally cannot do another lockdown. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, but as I think about it, I know they have gone through this too. It’s like I have to keep reminding myself this is a global problem not a UK problem.
It sometimes feels like it is just us. What I’m starting to realise is that I am spouting off again. So, I think it is best that I put my shoes on, get my coat and end this here to go on a walk and clear my head.
