Day 365-WalkedTheYear

Dear Reader, 

One year ago today, I set a challenge in front of myself to walk 365 days in a row. There was no forethought, no discussion with anyone, not even myself. Something bigger than me told me to do this, so I did it. 

And it's done. 

Today was not my last walk, but it was my last day on this project. Here is a smattering of what I have learned about daily walking:

• It makes you healthier
• It makes you a better writer
• It clears your brain
• It's meditative
• It's reduces and/or eliminates pain
• It clears your lungs
• It makes you crave walking
• It makes your dogs better behaved
• It inspires others to follow suit
• It helps your work on your alignment
• It fills your head with fantastic ideas
• It's good for your self-esteem
• It encourages you
• It builds muscles the right way
• It lessens your common cold occurrence
• It gives you a stress-relieving outlet
• It helps you sleep better
• It helps you lose weight
• It connects you to yourself
   

I'm sure there are other things I'm not remembering right now, but there is a lot of good things about daily walking. I have walked on the beach, in the woods, with the flu, recovering from surgery, and plain old street walking. I have walked in the country, in the city, in a foreign country and in my neighborhood. I have walked in the sun, rain, wind, snow, spring, summer, fall and winter.  I have walked barefoot, in Crocs, in my silly Monkey Toe shoes, and once in some Merrills (which sucked). and I'd like to thank my kids for their support and love, The Huz for all that is awesome and his freakishly unflagging support and acceptance, my dogs for their companionship,

LaRue, Tootie and Betty

my Mommy for reading my blog every day and telling all her friends to read, Mike Cyger for the unintentional inspiration, Katy Bowman for her wisdom and generosity and the friends who followed the blog, commented, passed it around and walked more as a result of my efforts. 

I am not done walking, and am not done writing--far from it. I may post on this blog 1-2 more times to connect you with my other writing endeavors, but I think that the next couple of months will just be getting settled in our new home in Montana. 

Thank you, Dear Reader, for giving my little project your time and attention. I hope that these efforts have inspired you to walk more, every day. And remember to enjoy every little thing, since that's what we're here to do. 

Walk on, 
Dani
 
 

Day 364-Looking Ahead

Well, I know these last few weeks of blog posts have had little to do with alignment, health and walking, and more to do with ME. The fact that I'm leaving a place after being here for 12 years (twice as long as I've ever lived ANYWHERE) has certainly colored the way I've been thinking the past month or so. 

I've got a presentation in front of 100 or so people tonight, and I've not rehearsed it once, so I better get on that...

...which is why today's post, while my penultimate day of WalkTheYear, may be limp and pithy. 

Ew! Two words that sound like they feel, and feel like they sound. 

Although, I do have to say that I am grateful and excited: The Huz finally found a place that would rent to us and our pack of pooches, and it's actually a terrific place in a GREAT neighborhood. The best part? Miles of sidewalks. Wide, wonderful sidewalks. For walking early mornings, late at night, after dinner, midday--you name it, and we are looking forward to it. 

Yes, I know off--road walking is best, but it's not always practical. And here where we live, it can be downright dangerous. 

So I'm looking forward, like a little old lady, to those miles of manicured sidewalks. 

Thank you, Universe, 
Dani

Day 363-Alert Walking, or Boy! Is my life great, or what?!

We are spending 24 hours here at a water park called Great Wolf Lodge. It's a fun getaway for us and we are here with some of the kids' school chums, which makes it even more gun for them.

I took off for a walk outside the resort property this morn, located her
on the Chehalis reservation. Um, I wouldn't call it my favorite walk, but it did serve some purpose, as a walk always does.

One, it made me move and helped get that lymph truckin' through my body. And two? Walking along a two-mile stretch of frontage road, complete with two smoke shops, a burned out trailer park, and a young woman with missing teeth, scabs on her arms and squirrelly, desperate eyes who ran out and spluttered at me, "you got a phone?"...well, let's just say that two miles left me grateful and alert. Super alert.

I've lived in some sketchy situations in my 42 years. And I'm glad it's not so any longer.

It's also funny to be in an area where folks just don't go out for a walk, and how the drivers stare at you as you pad down Tobacco Road.

Xo,
Dani

PS: typing this on an iPhone made me realize that Auto-Correct just doesn't "get" me.