I hope everyone is well and happy.
Walking on your own can be a bit lonely, but looking on the bright side, it does provide the perfect opportunity to practice some mindful Nordic Walking. Mindfulness has proven health benefits when it comes to reducing stress and anxiety, as does exercising in green spaces, so combining the two is particularly powerful. Nordic Walking lends itself to mindfulness very well: the regular tap, tap, tap of the poles helps to regulate the breath and provide a soothing rhythm to drown out other thoughts. So much is beyond our control at the moment, but you can control the moment you are in. I have listed a few ideas for helping you to do this:
Eye focus exercise: pick a point in the distance and focus on that landmark/tree/building for 8 steps. Now choose something small and much nearer to focus on, such a leaf or flower. Focus on that until you can see the veins on the leaf, or the individual petals. Not only is this great for bringing you into the moment, but it also benefits the muscles around the eyes.
Focus on what your feet are telling you: notice the texture of the ground beneath the sole of your foot, then try to notice the minute adjustments that your feet and body naturally make in response.
Notice how you feel when you practice different Nordic Walking techniques. Perhaps bring your attention to one particular part of your body and notice how that feels when you are Nordic Walking. Does it feel different according to the technique point you are working on today?
When you succeed in staying mindful for a sustained period of time, you will find that you feel so much more refreshed and relaxed after your walk. Please let me know how you get on. Enjoy and stay safe.
DISCLAIMER
These workouts have been designed for clients of Nordic Walking East Anglia, who have all been taught the correct Nordic Walking technique by a qualified British Nordic Walking Instructor. They have also been shown how to perform these exercises in face to face lessons; this film is merely a prompt. Individuals participate in these exercises at their own risk and must ensure they have adequate and non-slip floor space in which to participate and agree that they have no health concerns that prevent them from taking part. These exercises are designed to be carried out outside, however, if individuals perform the warm-up and cool-down sessions indoors there is a danger of collision with or damage to furniture, light fittings, etc. as well as potential for injury.