This time of year can be really difficult as the days are shorter, the evenings darker and longer and the weather can be such a draw down.
When I got up this morning I went outside and wow what a beautiful day, such a treat to see the sun and then of course the rain came and washed that feeling away.
We have had such relentless rain most days so far this winter, buckets being thrown at us from above, so tiring.
With my business of Nordic Walking taking people outdoors and keeping them fit by using these fantastic poles to use more muscle groups, burn more calories while enjoying the nature around us, weather plays such a key role.
So when I get all this rain it not only affects my business, today it affected my mood. I usually am a very uplifted sort of person, always positive, glass half full or half empty, no it’s refillable!!!
This morning it just got to me “no more rain” and I was quite low thinking how can I keep going, very unusual thoughts for me.
Also with Christmas less than a week away business does get quiet and the amount of walkers are low and the persistent isn’t helping.
Todays walk was being held at Arne Nature Reserve, thinking that it has good paths and not too muddy, as an instructor these are the things you have to consider for your group.
Once I got out of the car at Arne car park it all felt great, back to the positive, there were 4 of us in total Nordic Walking, getting poles out, putting on boots, waterproof jackets and trousers and prepared for any more buckets of water to be poured over us, nothing was going to stop us now, especially with a brilliant cafe with a good cup of hot coffee ( I won’t mention the cake) at the end.
Funny when we were warming up someone did suggest we go straight for the coffee…. Our walk was amazing, very few people out and a few raindrops nothing too bad at all.
The first thing we noticed was the light the day cast on all the flora, the abundance of bare trees were wet but seemed full of energy, if you know what I mean.
It’s hard to put into words a visual and then that visual comes with a feeling of “oh Wow”
We saw a Stag up at the view point, he was looking at us and we at him, such a brilliant sight, and again that visual feeling again.
Then another Stag which I did take a photo of but it really didn’t capture the silence we all had when we saw him and he us.
He didn’t seem to bothered by us just stared back while he was eating.
Then we walked down to the beach and the stillness and tranquillity just caught us all, the water quietly lapping up on the shore line, the wildfowl in the distance and the gaggling of the the Brent Geese, just stunning.
We were all so overwhelmed on what a beautiful day we were having on this scattered shower grey day.
But it wasn’t totally grey as we were looking to the south there was a strip of sunlight of about 1/3rd of a mile, travelling along the ridge of the hills by the coast, highlighting the beauty this winter does hold.
A short stroll on the beach to continue on our route while still enjoying the splendor of it all.
The low flying waders, the egret, the heron all there for us to see as they carry on their existence, and I bet they don’t bat an eye at the grey sky, the rain that has continually fallen, it’s just life around.
Even as we were heading back the 4 of us felt so lucky that we ventured out thinking it be a quick wet walk but it was completely the opposite.
On our last leg to the cafe, the sun came out and everything just shone, the yellow of the early flowering gorse, the broken bark from the wind whipped trees, the brown bracken that has long lost it’s green and the blue between the white clouds that just passed by.
So what I am trying to say is that when we feel down, low not totally happy, as this time of year can do this, just step outside whatever the weather, just plan it properly, or come Nordic Walking with Nordic Walking Fit and embrace what is around us cause it sure brings out what is within us.