Walk 20 Minutes a Day

Today on my walk, I found some treasures.  First, I am meeting the neighbors.  Many of the residents of this quiet neighborhood commute by bike and on foot this time of year, and I see them as I walk down the lane, on their way to work. There's a older woman who rids her bike every day.  She has the happiest smile on her face every day, as if she is just fine with how her life is.  And the 40-something woman who walks her dog every morning. As I walk down the lane, my mind begins to clear, as usual.  Then, in the resulting quiet, an idea occurs to me that I can implement in my new consulting business.  It's a basic, creative concept, a linking of two principles.  I don't think it would have occurred to me without the walk. It is surprising how quickly this small think, this little walk, has made itself at home in my life.  In just one week, it has begun to change my life.

Today I found myself looking forward to my walk.  The first couple of days, I had to engage willpower and just make myself go.  But now, already, it calls to me. As usual, when I started walking, I immediately noticed the thought flow.  It's always there, I just see it when I walk.  Today the thoughts were about a long-gone work situation and then, on a more positive note, I was reflecting about two young friends who just got married. The thoughts calmed, as they always do, after ten minutes or so.  Then I was at the river, and the rising sun made the water look like shiny, pounded silver.  A moment there, and then the trip back, when my thoughts turned to work.  Not yet, I said to my mind, and they faded. Something important is happening, but it isn't about calories.  It's about thoughts and how I respond to the events of the day.

Yesterday I waived my daily walk because I was staffing for a rafting trip.  Between paddling the raft and wrangling teenagers all day, I got plenty of exercise.   But it wasn't the same.  The walk at the beginning of my day seems to create a mind-set that affects everything for the rest of my day.  It especially affects how I respond to the many stressful and surprising events that happen in any average day. So, next time I have a very physical day planned, I will still do my daily walk at the beginning of the day.  First of all, it's not that much more exercise, so it's not like I'm going to be more worn out than I would have otherwise. Secondly, why would I try to get "off the hook" for something I really enjoy doing?

It was easier to get out the door this morning.  I suppose that's because my experience yesterday was so positive.  Yesterday's walk affected my whole day.  I found myself responding differently to difficult situations, and my outlook in general was more positive. Today, I walked down the river again, and the experience was much like yesterday.  My mind calmed, and I found myself thinking more positive thoughts.  Also, for 30 minutes, my mind was not racing with thoughts of work, like it usually does first thing in the morning. I have a long day today.  It will be interesting to see how the walk affects my day..

This morning, I changed a long-standing pattern in my life.  My usual morning routine is coffee, breakfast, the news on the radio, and then... work. Today I went for a 20-minute walk.  I've done the reading, and all the sources say it's enough.  I guess it's hard to believe, especially for an old athlete like myself.  After a lifetime of backpacking and climbing, a short walk doesn't seem like much. At 60, I don't climb much any more, and my hikes are a lot shorter than they used to be.  So, I'm going to find out if a short, daily walk is enough.  This is my experiment of one, and I will report on it here.  I'll tell you how hard or easy it is, and what the effects are. To begin: I weigh 197 pounds, on a large frame, 5 feet 11 inches tall.  According to the charts, I'm about 20 pounds overweight. I sleep about 6 hours a night, usually not very well.  I wake every night at 2am, and have trouble getting back to sleep. I have moderate anxiety abo