Walking

Walking has been part of my life since the day I began my recovery. After my time in Coolmine and FAST, it became an everyday habit, and it's one I've never let go of.

It started as a necessity

I didn't have to talk myself into walking. It wasn't hard to begin, because at that stage it wasn't a hobby or a fitness plan. It was something I needed in order to rebuild myself.

Walking was also what led me to my 3km morning jog. The jog grew out of the walk.

My two walks a day

Walking is now a daily habit, and I do it twice:

• Lunchtime: 3km to clear my head.
• Evening: 3km to destress.

Jogging builds my body, walking builds my thinking

For me, the jog is a body-building habit. Walking is a thinking and problem-solving habit.

Most of the time when I head out for a walk, it's because something is annoying me. So I walk, and most of the time my brain solves it before I get home. By the end of the walk the problem feels smaller, and my body feels better for the movement too.

What it has given me

Walking gives me space. Space to think, space to cool down, and space to deal with things without reacting to them in the moment.

It's also how I break up the day. A walk at lunch resets the afternoon, and a walk in the evening lets me put the day down before I get to my evening breathwork.

The proof

My mind isn't confused the way it was in 2011. Walking has been a huge part of that. I can think clearly, work through problems and stay steady, and that's proof enough for me.

If you want to start

Walking is the easiest habit to begin and the hardest one to take away from you once it's yours.

• Start with a short walk every day.
• Use it when something is bothering you. Walk first, react later.
• Add distance when you're ready.

You don't need to be fit to start. You just need to start.