Aside from the many physical benefits which can include improved sleep, muscle tone, balance, increased blood flow, etc, regular walking can also work to increase connection, reduce loneliness, be a conduit for practicing anxiety management strategies and provide opportunities for calm, creativity and clarity.

Many research studies support walking as an important component of managing life stressors, as well as mental health conditions such as depression, particularly alongside therapy and/or medication.

For many years walking has been a foundation for me to manage the stress that naturally occurs as a mother, solo practitioner and psychologist.  I'm not a runner, or a bushwalker or in anyway athletic... so it's walking that provides a core for my physical and mental health.  Knowing that to make the habit sustainable it needed to be practical, I explored various ways that meant I looked forward to walking the same route most days, you'll find some of these tips on this Bingo Card. 

Please note - the above in no way suggests that you the Walking is Awesome program is a therapeutic program to manage a mental illness.  It is a way to help you incorporate the proven benefits of activity into your daily life by focusing on increasing enjoyment so that see it is easier to start and maintain a sustainable walking habit.