MisseyGrace-A majestic oak tree full of young green leaves in the springtime
The year 2020 hasn’t been good for many people.
Here in Melbourne Australia, we’ve gone through the most incredibly strict lockdowns in the world to finally see the double zeros (no COVIC-19 deaths and no new cases).
The isolation hasn’t been easy, let alone the fear and frustration that came with the second wave lockdown within months, but we have seen the power of being resilient.
Mental health advice has been made available through many channels for you and me to practice, so I’m not the one to repeat them here, but I do want to share the basics that I find useful.
My personal experience is to use the daily walks in nature to maintain a meaningful journey, a pathway to spiritual freedom.
Physically and psychologically, stepping outside of your house during the pandemic resembled freedom.
MisseyGrace-beautiful pink flowers in the grassy land along the walking track
Looking for a silver lining – living miles away from the metropolitan Melbourne, in a way, has been a godsend.
Oh, yes. Wearing a face mask is a good thing for me. Why? Because it keeps my nose and mouth from unfriendly elements in the air. At my age late winter early spring has been a trying time if you know what I mean.
Utilizing a face mask and social distancing is kind of a no-brainer, it’s a simple gesture to show my care and respect for others’ health.
Now back to the walk.
Even though I love outdoor sports I’ve never had any desire to become an athlete. My upbringing had me closely aligned with the gentler aspects of lifestyle. Walking or wandering around nature appreciating its ever-changing exhibition is more of my scene.
It never disappoints. Paying attention to new buds that bloom throughout springtime, observing birds and other animals living their lives as if there’s nothing wrong in this world, they simply focus on the present enjoying every bit of happiness.
MisseyGrace-Bird on walking track
Thanks to modern technology, other than the house key I only need to take one small device with me.
It is my music player to stream upbeat sounds to match my brisk walk. It has a digital camera to take photos of interest and film short video clips with a click of a button.
It has a compass and a torchlight in case I need to get my bearings right.
And, it comes with apps that can identify plants and animals I encounter along the walking track. How good is that? A smartphone has been my best walking companion when I don’t have anyone to walk with me.
In the past six months, I’ve taken more photos than at any stage of my life. I know many more plants by their names.
That’s it. Isn’t it? By concentrating on what’s happening around me, all worries fade away.
A smart way to calm the mind and remove unwanted thoughts that lead to stress. Are you doing the same?
Do you like this post? Have your say in the comments because I’d love to know.
Click on the link above to watch my Zen walk video, and I would very much love you to help me in sharing this and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Thank you.
