The Road To Wellness

Nice to see you! Wishing you a healthy day!

I’m in a mood to try and boost my productivity. While blogging, I came across a post to help my fitness efforts. The post dealt with five ways to be more productive. The post detailed five daily steps to aid one’s productivity. One of the points dealt with exercise. By the blogger’s own admission, he hates running, yet begins each day with a 20 minute run. He can at least end each day with some measure of accomplishment for having done that.

So I took his advice. Right after breakfast and before getting bogged down in work, blogging, or whatever, I walked. It was good. I felt like if I did anything today at least I walked. It was good. I intend to do the same tomorrow.

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I’m proud of myself today. I’ve walked twice this week, getting in my steps. Today I sauntered. I’m convinced it’s an art to tune out the world, your problems and live in the moment. My inspiration? Mary Frakes book, "Mind Walks". Usually I walk without a goal or intent. Lately though, I’ve sensed a need for a restorative walk. I’m craving an opportunity to read Thoreau. I must get out.

"The Art of the Saunder" from the book was my goal this day. I gave myself permission to just walk. No destination, only a goal–to get there in my own time. How wonderful to be free of a schedule or a deadline! This was my time. I’d spend it not fretting about work and its frustrations, but solely on me. So, I listened to the birds. I studied the clouds, storing away images to incorporate later in my art.

What a good walk it was. Along the way I found me.

Photo by law_keven

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My car is in need of repair–again. Some would say I should sell it. I can’t. It belonged to my mother, now gone. It is a link to her. So, after many band-aid repairs, it is in need of yet another.

The shop I like to use is busy, so busy that I can’t get in for another week. Since I’m reluctant to drive it, I walk. I walked to town to get some coffee. Today, I walked to town to go shopping. Tomorrow, i will walk to work. Each day, it’s at least an hour’s walk. That’s a good thing. While I may not have chosen this path, I’m getting my cardio in. And that is a good thing.

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I’ve always wanted to call myself a runner. Running has always struck me as such an elite form of exercise. To run is hard. There are so many issues to be dealt with–knees, ankles, prickly heat, cars, and did I say knees? I’ve attempted running before. I’d like to take it up again. There’s something so wonderful about power cardio.

As if that wasn’t enough motivation, but a news story from Reuters touts running as the path to live a long life. Count me in! I know that when I ran, I felt good. I felt attractive. I felt confident. Running does that for a person. I think what I liked best about it was challenging myself. I wasn’t out to win any races. I was out to best my own performance. Being something of an introvert, this type of personal goal is very fulfilling to me.

After my shoulder injury, I’m gradually getting back to my routine. I walked 2.75 miles today. Sure, I was a wee bit sore at first, but did I feel good. And talk about accomplishment! I set a goal for myself today and I did it. On to the next challenge.

Photo by Kekka

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Not that I’m looking for excuses not to hit the trail, but state Departments of Natural Resources are confirming it, black bears are on the move in Midwest states.  I’ve never encountered a bear, nor have I ever even seen one.  The closest I’ve come to a bear was in Sun Valley, Idaho during a GIS conference.  On one of my days off, we took to the trail.  We didn’t see a bear, but we saw bear sign.

If you asked me why, I couldn’t explain, but I have this fear of bears.  Weird, huh?  Not like I’m drawing from experience or anything.  Just a fear.  I remember reading in a book, the title of which eludes me now, about encountering bears in the woods.  The book stated that if you met a grizzly in the woods that you should climb a tree.  If it follows you, kiss your ass good-bye.

Or maybe it has to do with Legends of the Fall.  Maybe knowing that Brad Pitt’s character was killed by a bear was too traumatic for me.  What I do know is this.  Hiking the trails at Gooseberry Falls State Park had me paranoid.  I kept looking behind me, sure that the sound I heard was a bear silently approaching.  I suppose if I really wanted to get deep here, I’d talk about how bears are representative of introspection, always a frightening prospect to look deep within oneself and search for meaning and purpose, to examine one’s soul.  Now that’s scary.

Nah.  Just put it down to Brad Pitt.

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