Saturday, December 29, 2007

The festivities have kept me from being active in this space. Now I am determined to get back and key in my thoughts at least once a week. Another activity I had fallen behind in, is my walk in the park. This morning I was determined to restart both the activities, for a starter I got to the park after breakfast and hit the walking track. I love walking and as I started on the park's walking track, I felt the usual excitement I experience on a walk. It starts with a peace that touches every part of my body and ends with an awesome personal delight. Most of the time I end the walk reluctantly due to time pressure. Personally for me the walk is not so much about burning the excess calories but it is an activity that I enjoy and reap instant benefits. I start slow and then pick up speed but I never loose sight of my surroundings. My walk, I suspect is most of the time an opportunity to admire nature and praise the Creator. At other times my walk is about switching on my 'Thinking Times' and I come away solving a problem that I have been wrestling with or end up with a bunch of new ideas. As I walk, my eyes feast on the birds, flowers and the greenery around the park, I like what I see and soon I end up rendering silent praises to the hand behind these beautiful creation. The walk is always very relaxing as the mind is completely occupied in admiration and adoration, and shuts out the regular pressures, worries, and fears that is generally fighting for residence. This morning towards the end of my walk as I started experiencing the awesome personal delight, a thought stuck me, if I enjoy the walk so much, what keeps me from doing this more often ? I did not get an immediate answer to satisfy me but the thinking cap was on and I continued to wrestle with the question and later as I relaxed after the walk, some answers came to me and I was ashamed! The walk involves some amount of effort. . . the first part is saying 'No' or delaying some other activities that is now and here. For instance reading the newspaper from the front page to the last word on the last page or jumping into your mail for an early start or even chatting with a friend on phone etc. All of these activities I can do without leaving my bedroom but walk means I need to get dressed, go down to the garage and drive out into the traffic for 4 to 6 minutes before I can get to the park. Often there are other 'easy' activities that will keep you busy the whole day and stop you from doing something that you enjoy so much and benefit from ! At the end of the day there is only regrets or guilt and you promise a better tomorrow, which may never come.So what is the way out ? I thought on this question too and I came away convinced that, prioritisation, discipline and consistency were needed to make some thing a way of life. I am now listing down what I want out of my days and then I will put a time plan to make all that happen. Yes, I want to walk everyday and it is on my list. Something has to go from my daily schedule to find walking time. The choices are to shave the time off the TV minutes or the net surfing. . . I will let you know where the time came from and how I am doing. How about you, do you want to do something that you enjoy but don't find time to do? Let us work on it together...

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Raj it was great reading your blog.

The good thing is that you love to walk, so you will definitely find a way to overcome the barriers that come in the way of your making it happen.

My problem is that I dont like to walk but I know that walking is a must for me to keep in good health.

Would like to hear if you have any tips for me to work around this problem.

Cheryl

Anonymous said...

Walking is always a good activity. I am so glad you enjoy the birds and flowers. Wish one would do that more!

I am sure that the time can be carved out from TV watching? Give that a miss and one can find all sorts of time!! After all the news is just as bad, the movies are pretty much the same and I know you don't watch soaps, so there you go, I've solved your time problem, Yeah for me!!!!!! Smile!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Raj, finaly got to read your Blog. Very interesting. Hope to read many more in this new year.

Bina