A simple, but effective mood raiser.

Yesterday I re-discovered a highly effective way to improve my mood.

Nothing exciting or revolutionary, something very simple.

I went for a walk.

Since my heart attack, my goal has been to walk 3 km at least three days a week throughout the year. I generally manage that despite the weather, business commitments, other pressing demands and even procrastination. Many weeks I have walked on five or even six days. I ride my horses as often as weather permits, cut and split wood, help neighbours out with some farming activities and do a bit of maintenance work on our old house and barns. I think I am quite active for a baby boomer.

However despite the best intentions, commitment and goals, towards the end of last year, I stopped walking. I could blame it on the weather – I would have had to have been suicidal to have walked on many of the coldest days this winter. My two-week trip to the UK was a valid excuse for part of December although I did take advantage of the warm weather on that side of the Atlantic to walk four days there.

I am currently wrestling with several important decisions about my life and my business.  Choices that will decide whether to move to a more manageable property, even a different country, how to streamline my business are all weighing on my mind.

I have read more than enough books on avoiding worry, overcoming adversity, making decisions. I have even written  one.

It’s often easier to give advice and help other people than it is to help ourselves, I spent the morning distracted, finding it difficult to start this post or do other creative work than needed doing. I read some inspiring articles which helped.

Then I realised that the sun was shining, the house felt warm, the thermometer on our porch read +5C (40F). I said to Sue that we should go for a walk. Mike the dog was beside himself with joy when I took his lead down from its hook.

Most of the snow and ice had melted away from the gravel road leaving it soft and slushy with some large puddles of dirty water. That did not matter, it was a gift to be able to walk outside without being weighed down with layers of winter clothes. To enjoy the warmth of the sun on our faces, we did not even need gloves.

We only had time for 2 km, but that was enough, I got back to my office feeling like a different person.

Then I saw this article about two people, probably in late middle age who did something entirely different – lived a life of nomads on horseback in the USA. Here’s the link to the story about Art Lamely and Sue Hemming. Amazing and it just shows that we are never too old to chase our dreams.

That story after the walk was all I needed to change my day completely.

How was your day?