Walking and inspiration are two things that go together for me.
I walk every day and every walk gives me something different.
Especially if I am feeling low.
DAWN
Recently I endured a long sleepless night. I had been awake because I was worried about something in my personal life.
I knew that my hours of worrying did nothing to help the situation.
I had tried every technique I could think of to stop worrying and get to sleep including counting to 100, counting backwards from 100, and counting sheep, but nothing worked.
I still lay there with sleepiness about as far away as it could be.
I couldn’t wait for the light to come up.
I badly needed to go for a walk.
WALKING AND INSPIRATION FROM NATURE
Walking in nature always helps me and I walk every day with my dogs.
But night-time in the Galway countryside is pitch black and I must confess I am not fond of going out walking alone in the night.
GHOSTLY APPARITIONS
Probably the reason I don’t like night walking is probably that my father told me too many scary tales of ghostly apparitions.
His stories made me too scared to go walkabout in the dark.
I do know though, that apart from the ankle-breaking potholes in the quiet Galway roads, it is probably a much safer place to walk alone than the brightly lit inner city of Liverpool where I was born and brought up.
Still walking at night is different and I just don’t have the nerve to go out alone in complete darkness.
Maybe one day.
SHADOWS IN THE LIGHT
So I lay in bed for hours wide awake and waiting for the sun to rise. As soon as it did I dressed and went out.
My husband was fast asleep and I didn’t disturb him, just left a little note saying I had gone walkabout – he knows me.
I walked towards the bay which lies a mile from where I live.
It took the mile of walking before my worries receded and I began to become aware of my surroundings and could fully sense the fresh smell of the salt and seaweed.
I have always found I need at least a mile before I can leave my worries behind.
I noticed the field in the photograph to the left when I was returning home.
I wonder if I had come upon it earlier in the walk would I have even noticed it?
I doubt it.
Worry casts shadows in our eyes.
What I really liked about this image was the way these shadows drew my attention to the light.
It made me think about how in life it is the shadows that make you appreciate the light.
There will always be down times – no matter how hard we try to avoid them.
FOCUS ON CREATIVITY
The act of walking lessened my anxiety and provided the bonus of bringing me to a place, mentally and physically where I could forget my worries for long enough to notice the light on this field.
I like to think that creativity follows creative action rather than being an elusive quality that some of us are born with and some of us not.
Walking led me to the field and thinking about the field made me focus on something creative – taking the photograph, thinking about the way the light played with the shadows, and later, looking for an inspiring quote to accompany the image.
If you’re not a regular walker why not try walking for a change? If you live in the city go to your local park.
LET NATURE DO ITS WORK ON YOU
Nature really helps and I promise you really will find it so much easier to write after a walk.
Walking will always bring you inspiration – if you do it regularly enough.
Don’t forget walking is free!
Best wishes
Grace
P.S. I hope you enjoyed this post on walking and inspiration. I write everything on this site myself. All the information and help here is free for you. I like to encourage creativity. All I ask is that you like, share or comment and help spread creativity around.
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Hi Grace, you are speaking to the converted here!
I totally believe that when we get our bodies into the rhythm of walking (for it’s own sake), our imagination is set free!
Do you know that wonderful book by Rebecca Solnit – Wanderlust. The History of Walking? I can thoroughly recommend it.
Keep on walking…
Carmel
Hi Carmel
You are so right. Wandering is so good for the soul! I haven’t read that book but will go to Amazon straight away and have a look – sounds great.
Thanks for commenting.
All the best
Grace