Over the festive season I spent several days in Rotorua and on Christmas Eve I woke feeling anxious. 2024 had been a very stressful year, not only for me, but for many of my friends as well and in my case I was concerned about work opportunities in 2025 and some other matters.
I reluctantly forced myself out of bed and decided to go for a walk. I say reluctantly because when anxious, I tend to hibernate and resist the things I should do which I know will make me feel better. The walk I chose begins in Rotorua’s redwood forest and rises up steeply through native bush and then meanders down hill and ends back among the redwoods.
As I ascended the path and my body began to tire I began to play over in my head all the negative things I considered I was facing – problems large and small. I felt angry, out of breath, and, being a hot summer day, I felt sweaty and overheated. As the path levelled out at summit and my heartbeat slowed down I started to feel better. I passed several people going uphill and each time we said hello.
Continuing my descent I became aware of a feeling of happiness. What the hell was going on here? I started to really ‘see’ the trees and appreciate the forest as a living breathing entity. Almost at the end of the walk I again passed several people and again, exchanged pleasantries. One woman walking alone actually wished me a Merry Christmas. All of a sudden I was smiling and then I laughed.
I actually felt cheerful. And here’s the lesson I learned from my walk: exercise is good for me.
Ok ok – yes I knew that already. I also knew that endorphins from working my body were kicking in and helping my mood But something else was going on too. I was viewing this walk as a metaphor.
I’d been feeling glum and worried before I started. The climb up was arduous and it seemed to intensify my negativity. But when I got over the ‘hump’, I started appreciating things.
This is like life right? Problems that seem like large hills, or sometimes mountains appear unassailable. Yet by taking things step by step I got through it. I realise I’m laying it on a bit thick here, but for me the walk was a reminder that getting through things requires action, sometimes very simple action.
When I finished the walk I felt really good. My ‘problems’ hadn’t gone away, but I felt differently about them. The exercise both real and metaphorical helps put things into perspective.
The other thing that came from my walk was the reminder that most people are pretty decent. All those strangers I encountered acknowledged me kindly and I reciprocated. In a couple of cases while descending I stepped aside to let people running uphill to have the right of way. A little further on a family stopped for me as I descended a narrow flight of stairs.
Yes, these were fleeting encounters, but I am pretty certain that had I fallen or had some other misfortune, all of them would have assisted me.
So I guess what I am saying is that getting out of one’s head involves taking some kind of action. Even a reluctant walk can help put things into perspective.
