Put the spring back in your step
Have you lost the spring in your step? Feeling bogged down? Stressed that you haven’t made progress towards your goals for 2015? Worried that you ‘should’ be doing better at work or home?
Why not give yourself a break from the ‘overwhelm’ of the day, and go for a walk?
Where and when? You could walk around the block or through a park near your office, during the day, at lunchtime or after work, or a more energetic stomp in the countryside.
Why? Going for a walk is an opportunity to be more mindful of the here and now, to slow down and to breathe. Being outside and away from the paraphernalia of your normal work or home environment broadens the horizons and gives you a different way to focus and think things through.
How? Observe what is around you and use metaphors to bring fresh ideas to where you are and how you want to move forward. The following are just a few examples you could use:
- What is my destination?
- Which path should I take and where does it lead? Where does the other path go?
- What is the worst that could happen if I take the other path?
- How many steps do I need to take?
- What needs to happen to get through the first gate?
- What bridges do I need to cross?
- How are the ups and downs affecting me?
With Spring nearly in the air, you will also benefit from a healthy dose of vitamin D and will return to your day feeling inspired, refreshed and invigorated, with a spring in your step and motivated to move forward with purpose.
Sometimes we get stuck and need a helping hand to focus on what we really want out of our lives; a coach who will objectively listen, question, challenge and support us as we discover and move along the path that is right for us. Yet finding time for an energising walk, and for coaching, can be a struggle.
This is why coaching while walking sessions are a brilliant way to exercise your mind and body at the same time and can help you to spring forward metaphorically, mentally and physically.