HOW CRAZY AM I?

In today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch there was an article (a weekly feature) about a walking trail. Accompanying this article was information about a New Year's Eve walk at Columbia Bottoms, a state park on the Mississippi River near its confluence with the Missouri and Illinois Rivers. I've been there during the daytime, but never at night. This would be an escorted tour of the park.

I want to go. However, I think my husband might have other ideas. He's not quite the walking enthusiast that I am, preferring to jog on the treadmill at the gym. I hope I can talk him into taking this walk. I must call to make a reservation although it's free.

If the weather isn't awful, I might be able to convince him that this is a good way to end one year and bring in the next. He can barely stay up til midnight anyway, so maybe, if I play my cards right and tell him that after the walk (about 9:30 PM) he can go home and go to bed without seeing the ball drop.

The next parts of the equation might be more important depending on the weather. It's a long drive to that part of the St. Louis area - and - what exactly will we be looking for or at in the dark on New Year's Eve? If I'm gonna lobby for this way to spend New Year's Eve, I better get do my homework, huh?



***************************Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

WALKING MAGAZINE

No, the magazine doesn't walk! But, it's about walking. Who knew? Why didn't I know there was such a magazine. I've looked online for any related topic but never found any. In a thrift store, I found a copy of this magazine - but it was published in 2005, so I'm not sure it's even still in publication. I'll check on that and get back to you.

In this particular issue, featuring Suzanne Sommers on the cover, there is an article entitled, "Beat Stress", that is about a 25 minute stress busting walk. No problem with that. Except that the article includes far more than walking. There is the Hara Twist, Mindful Walking, Rag Doll roll, and more. Nothing that can't be accomplished by most people whether or not they're wearing comfortable walking shoes.

Accompanying the article is an inset box with these tips for stress busting:
Get a hobby - any hobby (hmmm. Does eating count?);
Walk outside on nature trails;
Journal so you can write down your feelings (always a good idea);
Keep your mind sharp by working the crossword puzzle in the newspaper everyday (well, that WAS 2005 when there were newspapers in print);
Do good to feel good (service work).

There are no secrets in these tips, but they are all good reminders that it is fairly simple to keep ourselves calm and motivated by taking care of ourselves and offering service to others. Charity (which I define as doing something beneficial anonymously with no expectation of return) has been known forever as being good for the human spirit.

While you're walking this week, think of a couple of things you can do for your neighbors, in your community, for your spouse, for the local nursing home that will put a smile on someone's face. Then, go do it! You'll feel delightful when you're done.

Here are a few simple ideas:
Take a bunch of bananas or a stack of old magazines to the nursing home;
Leave a wonderful paperback on a table at a restaurant with a note on it saying 'Free for the Reading';
Bake a loaf of bread, put it in a pretty bag, and leave it hanging on your neighbor's door;
Pick up the litter along your walk;
Leave a love note for your spouse taped to the bathroom mirror;
Find 10 things in your house you no longer use and drop them off at a thrift store or shelter.

Okay. Now, doesn't that feel better? PLEASE do me the honor of suggesting other Pay It Forward ideas here to motivate all of us.


***************************Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

PLANNING ON TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF FOR THE NEW YEAR?

I am not a fan of New Year's Resolutions. If they work for you, great! I find that the expectations I might put on myself by making a resolution are unreasonable and unlikely to be fulfilled, possibly leading to a hit on my self esteem. Not worth it to me.

New Year's Day is just another day on the calendar. I feel much more like making a fresh start in Spring when the promise of warmer weather and sunshine boost my mood and motivate me to get outside and move more.

So, if it works for you, make a resolution to create positive change in your life. If making resolutions works no better for you than for me, stick to your slow and steady plan of walking a bit more every day til you reach 20 minutes at least 4 days a week. The pay-off is tremendous!

Read the guarantee that accompanies each post of mine. I guarantee that if you do not move your body at least those 20 minutes most days of the week, you will continue to feel achy and miserable, you'll tend to slack on the couch, and stand a very good chance of letting your life pass you by. Why do that when there is this very easy, natural, and free way to improve most things in your life. Just walk it off!



***************************Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

MY GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST FOR YOU!

Cheery Christmas! Chappy Chanukkah! Keen Kwanzaa!

My Grown Up Christmas List for all of you is this:

Good Health
Great Walking Shoes
Happy Trails

May all the gifts of this Season be bestowed on you with Love and Grace. May you give more than you receive.

After you have your large holiday feast, go for a walk!





***************************Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

USE YOUTUBE

I have found a couple of uses for youtube.com that might appeal to you, especially as winter makes it difficult for some of us to get out of doors.

First, there are lots of Leslie Sansone videos on youtube. They aren't the full length videos like you'd buy in DVD form, but they'll give you an idea of what's on the DVD's and they just might get you moving if nothing else will.

Second, linedancing. I was using the music I had downloaded to my Ipod to strut around my family room when I couldn't get outside. Better yet, and for free, I can pull up a particular linedance on youtube - cuz they're all there - and wiggle along with it. One day last week when it was rainy, cold, windy, and miserable outside, I pulled up 5 different dances and moved along with those folks on the little screen. There is a way I can view them on my big screen TV, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet. Maybe over the holidays when I have my sons and bonus kids here - all of whom are far more technically gifted than I am - someone will get me up to speed with that technology.

This second use for youtube has a distinct advantage for me. It's homework! When I've been taught a new dance on Tuesday or Thursday, I get to practice it at home with the help of youtube.

And, music is uplifting! Walking or dancing, the music really helps. Try it and see if it works for you.



***************************Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

I'M STILL HERE...

and still walking most days. Between work, weather, and my newest 'love', linedancing, I walk only 5 to 6 days each week. I dance at least twice, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and most Thursday mornings, I also walk with a friend for about three miles. I only work a half day that day of the week, but I am realllllly tired at the end of that day!

I have a new-ish walking buddy, Kiersten, with whom I walk most Sunday mornings. She lives nearby and is flexible enough to accommodate my often very busy Sunday schedule. We have a couple really good place to walk, the highschool track and a paved trail along the Meramec River. Lizzie, our four-legged walking buddy, loves the river trail.

I've got some more posts coming soon, so please stay tuned.


***************************Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.