Walk
Write

By Judy Heller

Judy Heller, founder of
Wonders of Walking LLC,
advocates walking for well being and pleasure. Wonders of Walking promotes Walking Events for Walkers by Walkers. Judy Heller is founder and owner of EroFit & Associates, LLC, celebrating Fitness for a Lifetime. Heller offers personalized fitness training and coaching for individuals and groups.
Contact: Judy Heller
at 503-282-1677:
email judy@erofit.com
jheller@wondersofwalking.com

Also visit: www.erofit.com
www.wondersofwalking.com

I only went out
for a walk and
concluded to stay out until sundown,
For going out,
I found
Was really going in.

— John Muir

What We Learn Through Walking — Lessons From Wyoming

It is better to travel well than to arrive.

One of my two favorite places for walking is our family cabin in a remote area of Wyoming nestled in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. This is the land of the Teton Mountains, open ranges, expansive views, big sky, and picturesque nature. Autumn transitions quickly from fall to a winter mix during late September and early October with vibrant glittering golden yellow/orange Aspen leaves dotting the mountainsides.

The Wind River Range (12,000 to 13,800 ft elevation) is dusted with snow. Gentle breezes caress the grasses and leaves; the giant lake at the foot of the Wind River Range changes texture and colors with the moving clouds eclipsing the sun. When walking along the bluff, if I am lucky, I observe the deer and antelope, communing with them as I walk along. I’ve learned to look around; I almost miss a red fox running up ahead when distracted by watching my footing on the gravel paths. The intention with which an antelope buck observes his surroundings and herd from a high vantage point reminds me what it means to focus. The time I came around the bend to be walking parallel with a moose 15 feet away required calmness, relaxation, focus on form, and making a hard right as soon as possible.

Walking is a solitary activity. Walking is also a social activity with family and friends; it is a fitness activity with the intent of elevating heart rate to improve overall fitness; it is a competitive sport, individual or team, when a desired distance and time are connected to the outcome. Walking is all of these “activities” that you most likely participated in at some time during this year. When walking for sport, the most valuable lessons in life can be learned as you open yourself to the experiences that teach you about living, developing your mental and physical strengths, and pursuing your dreams. Pursuing these paths allow you to improve and explore your potential whether individually or as a team member.

Success in life and sport is related to the level of commitment or dedication. Only you can decide your level of commitment by determining how important what you want to accomplish is to you in your life. There is no right or wrong answer. It may require you stretching your perceived existing limits about self. The more you want to accomplish or achieve the greater the commitment. An athlete may choose to commit his or her daily life to training for years in pursuit of the Olympic dream. A committed team member doesn’t change her mind the day of the event about participating.

“Where the mind goes, everything follows.” Focus is the connection of commitment with the purpose, eliminating distractions. The expression “keeping your eye on the ball” is about focusing on the aspects within your control not wasting your energy on distractions. Distractions are a part of life — work, relationships, finances, your thoughts or expectations. These increase anxiety and drain your energy, diminishing your ability to be your best self. You have the ability to adapt and refocus in spite of distractions.

The greatest barriers are psychological ones that we impose upon ourselves — a mindset of what is or is not possible. As your belief (mindset) about limits change, the limits themselves change. Circumventing barriers is in your self talk. Listen to what you are saying about yourself, as your thoughts impact your emotions and subsequent action. When traveling in Ireland, I awakened one morning to a dull, gray, rainy morning. Looking out the window my thought was, “Yuck. Just like a miserable rainy Oregon day.” When downstairs for breakfast ordering tea, the server said “My, aren’t we having a mild lovely day.” I sat and repeated, “My, what a mild lovely day.” Guess what? My day did indeed become just that as I explored the bounty of Kilarney County. Your thoughts impact your mood. Becoming aware of your self-talk, you can begin to reprogram, refocus, and control most of the time.

As you pushed yourself to expand your limits, did you experience the sense of excitement rushing through your body? How about the pure joy of doing and achieving an outcome you never thought possible. Do you find yourself asking what next?
Whether you want to be healthier, walk your first 5k, achieve a personal best for a marathon, do well in business, go back to school, or write a book, the procedure is the same. You focus your commitment; the specific actions and goals are different. Pursuing walking as a sport helps you become aware of your capabilities, perceived and real, and your strengths and weaknesses. Your growth is expanding your limits or boundaries, creating strategies for maneuvering obstacles, becoming more aware of what you want, and how to take action.