How to make Winter walks your source of JOY!

Now that we have transitioned over to Autumn and Winter is on the way, and yep we can physically see the effects! The rust-like and golden coloured leaves, the soaking morning grass, the nip in the air as we sip our morning coffee at the window. We may begin to think cosy thoughts and perhaps our usual walk may begin to slip from our day as we hunker down to work each week and let nature do her thing. Perhaps you’re feeling that it is getting a little more difficult to get up and out in the mornings, the days seem like they are getting shorter and you really must get on with that to-do list first.

Heads up though!, you started getting outside in the spring and summer to help you to stay grounded and balanced in your mind remember and perhaps you even have a mindful walking practice. Right now it is even more important to continue with that commitment you made to yourself.

With everything that is shifting outside in the world, we need to work with nature more than ever for a better more balanced state of being for ourselves and those we support in our lives.

So I thought I’d put together some tips and little incentives to motivate you to continue walking in nature and even maybe a longer walk than usual over the coming colder months ahead!

Firstly! Don’t let the weather stop you!

Get your favourite coat out!

Go prepared! Wear layers and take a waterproof, my mum always used to say ‘you can take things off, but you can’t put it on if you don’t have it with you’ I take a backpack so I can take my hoodie off if I get too warm. My walking boots and my coat are probably my best buy and they have lasted me years! Oh and some good comfy socks and a cosy hat are a must as it gets colder!

Set the intention to reset!

I like to set an intention for my walk, the reason for this is that often we chose to walk in nature to clear our minds and reconnect to our souls. Why not try setting an intention before you set off? How would you like to feel? Is there a specific goal you’d like to achieve on your return or something you’ve been putting off that you want to complete?

My fave little SMASH flask!

Keep your tummy happy!

There’s nothing worse than having to head home because you’re peckish and thirsty. Pack up a little flask of your favourite hot drink or soup (I like Dream Magic mushroom coffee!) and maybe a couple of biscuits or an energy bar. I have this little SMASH flask that I got from Homesense! It is small enough to fit in my pocket and gives me a warm break after a short meditation session.

Plan a break or stop off if you’re going further!

If you are planning to go further afield, arrange a stop-off point where you can rest for a while and get warm, log fire and cosy chats anyone?

Log fires are the best!

Harry makes walking a treat for me!

Take a furry friend!

If you don’t have a dog, you could try borrowing one for the day. Having Harry has always got me out and about in all weathers, he’s great company and always puts the fun into my walks, he just loves a stick and has me kicking stones and fallen apples for him to chase for hours, I’m sure I’m his human rather than him being my dog!

Start a personal charity challenge or a new commitment!

I started the #walk1000miles challenge at the start of the year for charity and although I don’t think I’ll quite make the 1000 this year, I have gone a long way toward this and I have got outside in nature for a walk at my local nature spaces every single day throughout 2020. This has hugely supported my mental health at a really difficult time. For the rest of the year and to help me complete the challenge strongly, I have set myself a 90 day challenge to help me complete a personal well-being goal before the end of the year! Feel free to send me a message if you’d like support with a goal and let’s finish 2020 on a high!

Taking a few pictures on your phone will create joyful memories to help you on the more challenging days.

Switch off but capture your experience!

One thing that I do practice is not looking at social media while I am in nature, this helps me to cultivate a practice of presence and calm. But I do like to go live to share messages and take a photo or two on a few of my walks.

This helps me to capture the feeling of my walk, helps me to create a relationship with nature and notice the beauty of the seasons and the little things that change, especially at this time of the year! Plus they make awesome pics to share later!

We are all in this together!

If you’ve not seen too many people in your day and you pass a stranger, a smile goes a long way and can change your state of being and that of others too! So make the effort and say hello to your fellow walkers! If you can, arrange to walk with a neighbour or a friend. Giving someone the gift of your time and presence is precious.

Let’s all help one another with a smile

Allow mother nature to support you.

FEEL nature’s gift to you!

The most powerful thing I have experienced in nature is the ability to feel again! After many years of pushing my feelings to one side, through daily walks, I have learned to breathe deeply, feel my feelings, and even enjoy the process of moving through emotions and returning from my walks feeling renewed, refreshed and ready to begin again! Breathing deeply out in nature has even improved my asthma! Start by feeling the feelings nature gives you, try using all your senses by walking on a cold frosty morning, in the rain, crunching the leaves under your feet, using your senses will help you reconnect with yourself in a way that staying indoors simply can’t do for you!

Bring a little bit of nature home!

I’m well known for bringing a bit of nature back with me from my walks! ‘What’s she brought back now lol!’ But honestly, let your inner child come back out to play! Look for conkers, acorns, pine cones, give yourself a little challenge to find the most interesting thing before you return! Nature is a magical place when you notice what you notice!

Cosy up when you get home for your reset!

Give yourself a cosy retreat!

Why not get a meal ready before you go, go for a walk and then indulge in a lovely spa bath when you get back before you eat. There’s nothing quite like reading a book in the bath after a long nature walk.

If you’re reading this and thinking, I wish I had this motivation! I have created a brand new coaching program that includes walking with me one to one, so we can use the healing power of nature to help you to reconnect with yourself, your vision and your life goals. Check it out here, or book in for a powerful conversation call with me and let’s talk!

Are you tuning out or tuning in?

Are you spending time escaping your life? Becoming a little unconscious to the crazy busy world? Do any of these things resonate with you?

• Sleeping in more than you'd like at the weekends and your snooze button is worn out

• Getting down that bottle of wine without really realising it

• Polishing off a large packet of your favourite snack in record time in automatic pilot mode

• Not able to help getting involved in the latest office drama

• Collecting those busy badges of honor

• Scrolling and rolling on social media for hours until your eyes are so tired you have to go to bed

• Binge watching box sets until you feel ready to throw up

• Not being able to speak to anyone before your first of a million coffees

All of these things are deadening the voice inside you. They are tuning you out from your inner voice. That inner voice that would tell you if something is off or out of balance. Something may be out of kilter and needs your attention. Perhaps there is a truth that you don't want to hear? And it's not always the first thing that we feel.

The trouble with escaping it all is that often these things that disguise themselves as pleasurable, and it is easier not to listen in because, you are telling yourself you don't have time or it'll blow over eventually. However, one day those emotions and thoughts you are pushing to the side will start to spill over. And when we don't have the inner awareness to acknowledge our fears and emotions we can be so out of touch with them that this can spark a negative effect on our outer experiences, relationships and on how our business is going.

This can show up in our outer experiences in many ways:

• You finish working late and no-one has tidied the kitchen (again). You feel less than valued and end up shouting at the person you are supposed to love the most.

• You wake up late for an appointment and struggle to have patience with the other drivers on the road who seem to be intent on making you later than ever.

• You don't get an answer to the text you just sent, so you text someone else for attention and when they don't answer straight away you feel hurt and angry.

• Everyone at work is just plain annoying 99% of your day, it's more comfortable to hibernate at your desk than to potentially have a conflict in the office.

• You never have quality time with your loved ones there's just too much to do and not enough time to do it all in. This is making you feel depressed.

• You just want an hour to yourself but your diary is constantly packed out with things for everyone else but you.

• You never seem to get past that financial target and are consistently worried about your outgoings

It's just not sustainable to continue to live in this way. More importantly you're probably not feeling like you're really living if this is your experience of life. The reason is because your emotions are not being felt and expressed, you're avoiding what's really going on and you're scared to face that voice inside because it is going to tell you the truth, and so you go round in circles day after day, week after week. And there may be a deeper message that you are ignoring.

For example:

• You're feeling disconnected in your closest relationship - so you shout at the dog

• You're feeling down about your career or business but you're too fearful to change - so you keep procrastinating talking to your boss

• You feel lonely - so you keep berating yourself for not finding that person you crave a close connection with

• You had a hurtful experience in the past that you never want to go back to again - so you keep a distance from people who remind you

There is a way back to truth that will help you on your journey to getting back to feeling more alive, regain balance with your emotions and get back to feeling good again each and every day.

There is bad news and good news :)

The good news:

It is entirely your choice to feel more alive and even better than you ever thought possible and the way you can begin to do it is totally free.

The bad news:

You are going to get uncomfortable doing it.

What is the answer? SILENCE.

Yep. Silence.

Silence can change your life as it allows you to listen to the truth. It's the way the light gets back into your life. When you become quiet silence will speak to you. It will be your greatest teacher. It will support you to process the emotions, thoughts and beliefs you have been escaping from. Sound a bit strange?

Listen to silence. It has so much to say. Rumi

Giving yourself the gift of silence will open up a powerful space for you to listen to that voice within and let go of what is causing you to disconnect with yourself so often, and yes it could get a little uncomfortable along the way, but with support it's a small price to pay to feel the freedom of actually living.

Next time you feel like numbing out from your day to day life, instead of reaching for that second or third glass of vino, try taking a few moments of silence, perhaps take quiet walk and see if there is a thought or emotion present. Try listening and connecting with your breathing, and experience the moment with all of your senses. Just be. An experience of connecting with yourself in this way may well have an important and enlightening message for you that might just change your life and your business.

Have you tried connecting with yourself through silence?

If you'd like to explore the power of silence further, why not consider an online or offline retreat where you can take some time away to reconnect with your inner world?

Opening up to receiving more into your life

Do you truly desire to do more work that you love, create more soul connected clients and create your life from your heart? Well you need to learn to receive if you wish to really do this!

If you want to create the right connections, first you must work on the connection with yourself. When you learn to receive as well as give (unconditionally) you become open and are able to let go of the control and conditions you are putting on your life, your work, yourself and others.

Esther Hicks talks about finding the path of least resistance. That path is within, within you, your inner guidance will always offer you the path that is easiest for you. When we open up we find that path. Often the blocks to what we truly desire are known to us, but we are afraid to open up to them. Practicing self compassion and compassion for others is part of the essential groundwork that will support you to let go of what is no longer serving you and help you to open up to create your life as your true self.

I have recorded this meditation for you to support you moving into this space.

If you would like further support and guidance on connecting with your truth and creating and leading your life and work from your heart I’d love to welcome you into my free facebook group Radiant Leaders