Morning Walks To Beat Mental Fatigue
Experiencing mental fatigue? Try morning walks to beat the blues. According to Web MD, walking is good for your mental health — and I totally agree!
For me, the quiet time helps me start the day right. My morning walk can fall anywhere from 5:30 to 8AM. So what’s great about putting on your walking shoes that early?
PRECIOUS “ME” TIME. Being one of the first persons greeting the day is a privilege. It is as if a secret is about to unfold and you’re there to experience it. Carefully maneuvering my way through closets, bathroom, hallway, stairs without waking up the whole house is part of the whole ritual. The ritual of carving some space and time for myself before my mind gets cluttered with all concerns, both vital and trivial. By the time I close the gate behind me, I have a small smile on my face. It feels good to hear the morning sounds and I focus on those and tune out everything else from my mind.
AWARENESS OF BEING ALIVE. After a while, I become conscious of the heat, the added layers of sound from cars and people slowly creeping into my quiet world. When the vibe of busyness starts to surround the neighborhood, it somehow lifts me up and energizes me. Then I take deep breaths, and sometimes the act of slowly inhaling and exhaling gives me a sharp awareness of how precious it is that I am alive. It’s actually a mix of exhilaration and anxiety – I celebrate life and at the same time, fear its loss. But I push on ahead… I continue walking and tell myself that the best way to cope with those conflicting yet connected feelings is to value each step, become completely immersed in my surroundings, and just take it all in.
SELF CARE. What comes out of that inner dialogue is a purposeful walk. I then become more deliberate in my strides. Why do I walk? To clear my head, to burn calories, to have a positive vibe on a new day. It is a commitment to self-care because I know that If I do that for myself, I will have more energy for others.
CALMING EFFECT. Let’s face it, the hustle and bustle of all things being thrown at us on a daily basis really affects our mental health. As a consequence, all of that tension builds up inside of us. That’s precisely why morning walks are great for the body and the mind. It releases tension and clears our head because it’s just you and the road.
SENSE OF FULFILLMENT. And what if the rest of the day doesn’t turn out the way I expect? I have my secret weapon, pick-me-upper: I remind myself that the first few hours were great because I achieved my fitness goal early in the day and more importantly, because I had my quiet and precious “ME” Time when I had my morning walk.
For some of you who haven’t done any exercise and would like to start, the best is to start walking.
Others want to go on a diet, and yes it is true that watching your food intake is another element to becoming a healthier you. I would say check the portions AND the quality of food! Well, okay, if you want to go really slow…. I even wrote about how to eat junk food in a “healthier” way — take note, I said healthIER, not healthy because that would be an oxymoron don’t you agree? haha!
At the ned of the day, wherever you want to start, whether physicial fitness or healthier eating habits, I salute you!
I am thrilled that you are about to start taking better care of your self. Good luck and have fun with this journey!
You May Also Like
20 Comments
Pingback:
GERRY SANTOS
Memo to self: IF not everyday, every other day then. Move it, move it 🙂
Rica
Hi GerSan! Exactly! There is no hard and fast rule, except to just go at your own pace. What’s important is that you create that self care routine or ME time. Okay, memo to YOU: move it move it 🙂 happy weekend Ger!
Grace "Bangge" Evangelista - Lasap
Yes, an everyday morning walk is a must, especially during these pandemic times. Why? Because part of our dominion as creatures of the Almighty is the outside world. We cannot be confined in our abode no matter how comfortable and beautiful it may be, it’s just not natural for us. It’s part of our make-up as human beings to be able to feel the sun on our skin, feel the gush of wind on our faces, and breathe the air outside. An everyday walk is one of the quickest and most inexpensive ways to relieve stress and start the day with hope……something which we all need in this day and age. Kudos Rica, and never stop writing!
Rica
Thanks Bangge. Words of encouragement like yours keep assuring me that it is okay to find different ways of expressing and reaching out. I’m so happy to find a kindred spirit in you. I support you and your life’s journey to wellness and self love too. Talk soon!
Faye
“It feels good to hear the morning sounds and I focus on those..”
Same here my Ms Ricsss! <3 I love walking in the morning. Especially when the neighborhood is still inside their homes. When it's just me, the fresh air, the trees, and the birds humming. Such a calm morning <3
Question: I walk on my slippers 😀 is that okay? 😀 It's because 1st: I don't want added effort by wearing my shoes hehe. is that alright? 😀 2nd: just because I'm just so excited to walk already 😀
Rica
Hi Faye! Naku, you might hurt your feet that way! You need to cushion the impact the ground has on your feet – not to mention, to make sure you are protected from dirt, injury and other external factors. I know! Just put our pair of socks and running shoes near the door so it will be a swift motion from putting them on, to getting out into the open air 🙂 happy walking faye dearest 🙂 de-stress, meditate, enjoy your quiet walk 🙂
Eric Librea
Morning walks and runs are indeed energizing and calming at the same time. A favorite experience was a trip to London where my hotel was right across the vast Royal Parks. Moving through the cool air, seeing the different palaces, arches and statues, breathing in the beauty of another day of life, and yes, even side-stepping random ducks and geese was a perfect way to start each day!
Rica
Hi Eric! Right across Royal Parks? What a treat! You just gave me a perfect next blog to work on. My walking experiences abroad! There were a few memorable ones and like you, I was totally immersed in my surroundings. Thanks for commenting here, you can be sure I’ll mention you in that blog and give you credit for giving me that idea 🙂
mike j.
this is so true and fully agree. i could relate as i have the same feeling when i do my morning bike rides (my “ME” time).
Rica
Yes Mike. What a wonderful experience it is to have that sacred space and time for your self 🙂 As I said before, I’ll walk, you do your biking 🙂
Oz
Rics, this is so true. It’s so comforting to learn this from someone you really know and it’s so helpful. Straightforward and un-sugarcoated. 🙂 Thank you for sharing and keep writing Rics. This is so calming!
Rica
Thanks a lot Oz. Your encouragement made the dream so much easier to work on. Appreciate the feedback; knowing that you can relate is already a win for me. The whole point of this blog is to have a pace for people to commune and share and just inspire one another to live our best lives. Stay safe and be well Oz!
Guen Dumdum
Grabe… it’s like a slightly different (or more intimate?) side of you… I love this line: “It is as if a secret is about to unfold and you’re there to experience it”… and also… “It is a commitment to self-care because I know that if I do that for myself, I will have more energy for others” 🥰
I can visualize it, na parang I’m there din, looking at you while you close the gate behind you and smiling.. hihihi. so inspiring. You really have a gift 💗
Rica
Hi Guen! It is thrilling that the words resonated with you. Coming from a fellow trainer, it means so much that you said that.
Thanks for taking time to read and hope to see you in this safe space often 💕
Rica
Thanks Ahlee! I give full credit to the hubby who took that photo 🙂 It was also his idea to make it B and W.
It is fulfilling to read that my writing created that vibe for you. Here’s to more bondings! 😊
Tsintsin Q
OMG …It is so you Happiness!
I love how you described your morning walks in detail, giving me the feel that I was also walking with you. It is so relatable and yet deep. Looking forward to journeying with you in this cyberworld, sis.
God bless you and be your inspiration always.
Rica
THANK YOU sooo much for saying that, Happiness! I’m very happy I was able to describe it well enough to be in the experience of it with you. I am encouraged to write more. That is the essence of my blog — an extension of me, to others. Tc sis and always be well. Regards to Edmond and the rest!
Jaine
Love this blog, Rica! I find walking a legit way to prep me for the day too. Thanks for sharing … looking forward to more (lalo na your ricarecomms stories! ☕️ 🍱 🧁 )
Rica
Thanks Jaine! Yes for sure more to come. Especially since I have people like you to chat with and bounce ideas from. See you in the other blogs 🙂