I decided in May that I would start a challenge that everyone else started in January, to walk 1000 miles in one year. It isn’t for charity, to win a prize or any kind of kudos, it’s just because I can and I like walking. There are days I like walking less – like when you forget to clock up the miles you’ve done so that day has to be a zero. Yes, I have done that a few times – you’d think you’d learn after the disappointment of doing it once! Apparently not.
What this challenge (and the many I have done before it), has shown me, is that I like a challenge – just small ones, I find they show me things about myself I would not have otherwise noticed. They can reinforce positive thoughts and therefore, behaviour. For example, I took part in the RNLI H2Only challenge earlier this year. I naively thought that since I don’t drink a lot of caffeine, no fizzy drinks and the occasional alcoholic drink, that it would be quite simple to drink only water for 10 days. Not so, I found it tough, but I also noticed how good I felt, I slept well, my skin looked great, and I felt ‘light’ ‘clean’ – just by changing my usual decaf drinks to water. No expensive ‘cleanse’ or strict ‘detox’ required. It has made me focus on drinking more water, but I have slipped in some other options too – no one is perfect!
This walking challenge has also highlighted small health benefits, how hard some days it is to make the magic 10,000 steps, when you’re in an office all day, sometimes it’s quite an effort to get out and do the miles. Other days I just walk instead of taking the bus, I get my chores done but also the miles too – win/win..
So I would urge anyone to give a small challenge a go, you don’t need to sign up for a marathon, or the latest fad diet, just something to test yourself a little – who knows,you could find it makes a bigger impact than you could imagine!
I am off for another walk…..