I suggest to Mr 11 that we go for a walk so off out the gate we go. Fortunate for us we have a hill within walking distance from home. It’s incredible, with views from the top of the town, lake and mountains. We are walking up the track, puffing a bit, getting warmer, when Mr 11 pipes up, “I hate this hill”. I suggest to him that that’s quite a negative thing to say, and to try thinking with a bit more positivity. My coaching hat comes on! So he says “I don’t like this hill”. We are not getting very far.
So I open up a question to him, “So what are some positives about walking up this hill?” And then I had him hooked. He started listing off several positives. He gave examples of how these were making him feel right in the moment. He was surprised at the ideas that he started to have for what he wanted to do when he got home. He realised that he had worked a tricky problem out. He said that he loved to walk with his mum. He wants to get fitter for skiing this winter.
I could feel his entire attitude shift in the space of a minute. We had such a wonderful walk after this, and when we got home he said, “I loved our walk.”
Here are TEN positives to walking.
- Fitter and stronger
- Fresh air
- Vitamin D from the sunshine
- Time with your friends or family, or enjoying your own company
- Views
- Connecting with nature (for us it was smelling the earthy aroma after rain overnight, listening to birdsong)
- Clarity of thought – problem solving, ideas, aha moments
- Switching off from other activities
- Satisfaction at walking for a certain time/distance/height
- Attention on the here and now
What positives do you get when you go for a walk?
Are there other positives you can add to this list?