A walker particularly stands out today and ties in nicely with our Thought For Today

Thought on Wednesday – November – 28/11/2012

‘Walking uplifts the spirit. Breathe out the poisons of tension, stress, and worry; breathe in the power of God. Send forth little silent prayers of goodwill toward those you meet. Walk with a sense of being part of a vast universe. Consider the thousands of miles of earth beneath your feet; think of the limitless expanse of space above your head. Walk in awe, wonder and humility.’ ~Wilfred Peterson

We hear on so many occasions about the benefits of exercise. Our biggest downfall is getting down to doing it. The great news is that we don’t need endless hours and often something as small as 15/20 minutes three times a week can return huge health benefits. Of the many types of exercise that we could do, walking is one of the easiest and most enjoyable. It is so rewarding and thankfully it’s free! During these winter months we are all prone to suffering from ‘winter blues’, lack of motivation and low energy. But it has been well proved how exercise particularly getting out for a walk can boost our energy levels. Our metabolism is up and running after walking, releasing lots of feel good chemicals that improve our mood and overall physical health. There are few excuses about not getting out for a walk. A high visibility jacket and good walking shoes are all we need to get us started.

In terms of a spiritual connection the benefits are also impressive. A walk can give us time to gather our thoughts, de-stress us and help us make a connection with our God. Not only is it our time out but walking is a lovely example of prayer without words. Why not try it!