Coping: Walking

One of the big coping skills for me is walking, however I suppose that any form of exercise will do just as well.

I started walking because I would start to feel antsy sitting still. Then I started to walk to clear my mind, try to get rid of the bad thoughts, no matter how long and far I had to walk. Sometimes I would just want to run, run away, run from myself, run until I dissappeared, but obviously none of that ever happened. I hated myself and hoped that if I walked fast enough that I could get right out of my skin and not be me anymore. I do know that that sounds crazy, but I wanted it so badly.

When I went to college my walking habits changed drastically. Great Falls wasnt a huge place so it was easy to walk for a long time in one direction, so thats what I did. Nearly every single day, after dinner, I would go walk. These walks werent small though, I calculated it on mapqwest (yeah I am nerdy) and I came to realize I walked nearly four miles each day. I loved that, I could get away, just me and my music, time to think and sometimes even to run from the urges, sometimes I would be gone for hours.There were some times, but hardly ever, that I used the walks to get away to harm. I am not so proud of those moments, but I cant erase them now.

It didnt matter the weather, I walked in six inches plus of snow, complete ice, rain, negative fifteen degrees outside, nothing could stop me. Id even say the pain that the cold brought to my skin and my lungs helped me, I guess its a little bit of a healthier pain.

Now I like to walk on occation, nothing like I used to, but its something about walking until your body aches that makes you feel good and refreshed.

I encourage you readers to take even just an hour out of your day and do something active, clear your head, your mind and body will feel so much better. When those bad thoughts start floating into your head, stop them before they get so completely unbearable you cant get away, take a walk.