The simple act of getting out walking every day – or whenever we can – and making that contact with the world around us, lifts the spirits for so many reasons. Here are some ways in which walking will make a happier as well as a healthier you…
1 It releases your happy hormones
Just by getting up off the sofa and moving about you’ll trigger your brain to release endorphins that will radiate joy and help keep stress and anxiety at bay.
2 It’ll get you fit
And in doing so, you’ll get immense satisfaction from the fact that you now feel stronger and better equipped to tackle life. Walking also lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer. For your body and mind, it’s a power of positivity.
3 It affords guilt-free pleasures
“Carrot cake? Don’t mind if I do.” And how much sweeter will it taste knowing that your walking-fit body has become so much more forgiving?
4 It costs nowt
You don’t need a fancy bike or a gym membership to get started. The outside world is cost free, tax free and inflation free. And at a time when everything’s so darn expensive, what better way to release the financial pressure valve than with a hobby that gives you so much and costs so little.
5 You become an achiever
And we don’t mean huge mountains and jaw-dropping distances here. If you’re getting outside for 10 minutes that previously you’d have spent watching TV, that’s an achievement, and one that should fill you with pride and make you feel a thousand times better.
6 It gets you into nature
Mental health charities like Mind recommend spending time in green spaces. Just being surrounded by trees, birdsong and fresh air will have an amazing impact on your senses that, in turn, will lift your mood.
7 You can see soooooo much more
You’ll find you often spot the unexpected when out and about – a grass snake perhaps, a kingfisher, or one of those fairy-tale mushrooms hidden amongst the trees. These experiences enrich your life and fill your bank of happy memories.
8 It helps you to deal with stuff
If you’ve got problems you can’t get out of your head, walking has an uncanny knack of getting your thoughts in order and putting your woes into perspective.
9 It’s a friendship-builder
Walking’s an activity where you greet those you pass and where conversation with companions flows freely and effortlessly. All these interactions are tremendous mood lifters.
10 It can all get rather silly
The suspicious stain on your friend’s bum from when they slipped in the mud; the street name with an amusing double entendre; playing bleat-tennis with a dopey-looking sheep. Walking isn’t just uplifting; it can also have you sniggering like Muttley from Wacky Races.
Get more for your love of the outdoors by subscribing to Country Walking here! Get 3 issues for just £5, for a limited time only.
