Exercise
The obvious benefit to getting out for a lovely walk is exercise. Moving our muscles, and breathing in the fresh air is
so good for us. Not everyone enjoys a hard session in the gym, or has the energy for a high impact dance class. Not
everyone has the physical fitness to do boot camps or hill hiking! Some people would not be able to anyway due to a
disability or injury. But most of us can (and some with help) manage a gentle walk outside for a little while, and the
rewards of doing so are great. Regular walking (along with a healthy balanced diet) can help us to maintain a healthy
weight, and make us feel so much better within ourselves.
Escape Into Autumn and Unwind with a Walk!
Escape Into Autumn and Unwind with a Walk!
Written by Lisa Cadman, 19/10/2022
Spring is my favourite month, but Autumn is a very close second. The colours at the moment outside are just stunning, so do take some time out to walk in the autumn leaves, and enjoy the sunny days before they disappear for a while!
We’ve had a really busy month, but in between the working days, college runs and a university visit up north, I have grabbed precious moments to use my memberships to visit Ramster Gardens, Winkworth Arboretum, Petworth Park and Nymans Gardens. The warmth of the autumn sun at this time of year, and how it floods through the stunning colours on the trees is just magical. I thought I’d share just a few of the photos I took with you this month, and look at the benefits of getting out for some fresh air.
Physical Benefits
Regular walking can help to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. It improves our
cardiovascular fitness, strengthens our bones and muscles, improves our endurance, strengthens our immune systems and
increases our energy levels. How many times have we thought ‘I can’t be bothered to go for a walk’, but afterwards felt
so much more invigorated? That’s me most Sundays!
Mental Health Benefits
Our brains also benefit when we establish a routine and commit to walking regularly. It is definitely the thing that
keeps me calm, and more able to deal with the rest of the crazy week and responsibilities that I have. Walking improves
our mood, our memory and our sleep. It can improve our balance and co-ordination, and it reduces our stress and tension.
It gives our ‘souls’ time to rest and recuperate, allows us the time to draw breath, and afterwards we feel more able to
face all the things on our ‘to do’ lists!
Time to Take the Pressure Off
Another brilliant thing about walking outside is that it is a fantastic opportunity to put the mobile phone on silent,
and just ‘be’ with ourselves for a while. Forget about our phones, our text messages, our social media accounts, our
emails, our deadlines, other peoples stress, and the general pressures we are all under. Just sitting quietly in a
pretty place with our thoughts, or with a lovely book to read, brings such peace.
Connecting with Strangers
I find that because I am generally walking/visiting on my own when I go to these beautiful places, that the volunteers
always say hello and tell me lots of history about the houses and the gardens I am visiting. Other people that are
walking by often smile or say hello too, and some will chat while I am sitting on a bench with my packed lunch and flask
of coffee! I’ve had some lovely chats with complete strangers!
Share it with Friends
Sometimes I do visit these wonderful places with other friends too who have memberships, and it’s always a really
special time to properly catch up and talk, away from the pressures of work and household chores. It’s lovely to have a
stroll, share a chat, sit, eat and drink together, and enjoy sharing the ‘great outdoors’.
A Chance to Be Creative
I love photography – always have. So taking time to just wander through the houses and gardens snapping away at anything
that catches my eye is just lovely. Taking time to really look at things properly, rather than just hurry through the
day like we do on working days. Taking time to literally ‘smell the flowers’, look at life in the woodlands, or really
look properly at a painting or piece of artwork or furniture is really satisfying, and I love exploring different camera
angles and waiting for the right moment to take the shot. Most recently I’ve enjoyed doing more close up work, which
also makes you look at things in more detail.
Appreciating Nature
Looking at and being around a wide variety of trees, plants, flowers, lakes and rivers can remind us what a beautiful
world we are living in. The constant flow of news (generally bad) and other things we have to listen to in our modern
day lives can be quite overwhelming at times. I find retreating outdoors and turning it all off for a while can help us
to calm down about things, and really appreciate this planet we call home. Actually taking a few minutes to watch a bird
playing under a tree, watch an insect collecting pollen from flowers, listen to the birdsong or see a squirrel scurrying
up a tree, can all connect us back to nature and relax the heart, and relax the breath, and make life seem a bit
brighter for a while.
It’s Free or Cheap!
Walking in your local park, woodlands or just in your local village or town is completely free! You can exercise
regularly with all the benefits to your physical and emotional health, without the need for an expensive gym membership,
or the cost of personal trainers or classes. Obviously all of those things are brilliant too, especially if you want to
join in with group classes for the social aspect of course, or if you feel you need the motivation of others to get
going - but not everyone can afford to do them (or wants to do them!), so getting into the habit of regular walking is
just a fantastic way to keep fit for free!
I pay £6.40 a month (just £1.60 a week!) to have my National Trust membership. This allows me free parking and free entry at all their properties across the country. Normal adult entrance fees are £12-18 per visit, so it is fabulous value for money if you use it regularly as I do. It also means I can walk in beautiful gardens that change all year round, and wonderful houses with art collections and furniture dating back years. I feel safe as a lone female walking in these places too, compared to going off into the woods locally and generally getting lost (!). I always take a flask of coffee, water and a packed lunch, so there is nothing to pay, other than the diesel in the car to get me places, and the odd purchase of a second hand book in some of their properties, to help support the amazing work they do. Compare that to a night out, or a meal out, or other ‘material stuff’ folk buy, and I think walking is a very cost effective hobby!
I also have an annual membership to Ramster Gardens in Chiddingfold, which is £30 for the whole year. It is usually £8 entrance fee, so you only have to go 4 times in the year for it to pay for itself. They don’t open all year though, so do check before you travel! I love the fact that I can just pop along for an hour if a client cancels last minute – when you have membership you don’t feel you have to stay all day to get your moneys worth!
My parents also buy me annual membership for Hever Castle in Kent every year as my Christmas gift, as I just adore it there. I think these memberships are well worth investing in – it makes you get outside, take some time out, and benefit in all the ways listed above. You get to see gardens change with the seasons, and learn about history past and present, and if you are like me, you can daydream that you live there occasionally! :o)
So – get out while you can – escape into Autumn and unwind with a walk!
Remember that I offer handmade and handblended products that you may enjoy too. I offer face creams, hand creams, foot creams, body creams, shower gels and obviously a variety of Essential Oil Blends (made to order with Essential Oils of your choice). The oil blends can be provided in plastic or glass bottles as preferred, or as small roll-on bottles – these are perfect for popping in a handbag or pocket.
If you would like to discuss any ways in which my treatments or products might be able to help you, please do not hesitate to contact me on: 07710 173354 or email me at: lisa@soulspace.biz. I would really love to hear from you.
With all my love and hugs. See you next month!
Lisa
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