Yesterday I went for a lovely long walk with my friend. We went for miles and enjoyed the lovely weather, even though it was quite windy at times. It had been a while since we had been for a long walk so it was lovely to get the backpacks on, lunch box packed and get walking.
We did a familiar route but there was a slight variation at the end. There are so many routes nearby that it is difficult to choose. But as we hadn’t walked in a while and I was full of the cold, we decided to do a walk we knew well, so if we decided we couldn’t walk anymore or my cold was making me feel worse, we could either turn round and head back or hop on a train at the right place.
Despite it being a familiar route, it is always different on the walk. This time, there was so much greenery around, it was beautiful, everything was in full bloom and looking lovely, the trees created a canopy which provided shelter from the sun. There were many birds around, looking for food and singing away, we saw plenty dog walkers and sadly posters for a missing dog that had disappeared on a walk last week. We kept an eye out but never saw it. Poor thing.
We stopped at the beach and had our wee picnic as we watched the world go by. There were a lot of people enjoying the sunny day, although as it was windy with the potential to rain, it was no where near as busy as we had seen it previously. We saw a number of people training to be lifeguards. They were working hard, running up and down the beach and jumping in the sea pretending to save people. It was all go.
We continued on our way and upon reaching our destination, we turned around and headed back, stopping at the same point for another snack. Throughout the walk, there are small inclines, some long and slow and others steep and intense but quick. No matter where we went, if you went uphill, you would sure as anything come down at some point and equally if you went downhill you went up at some point. There was no getting away from it.
This got me thinking about the ups and downs of life. No matter what happens, you will always have some time when things are not going so well. Where it is hard and you feel like in that moment it is very much an uphill struggle. But you battle on up that hill and get to the top eventually, breathing a sigh of relief when you know the hard part is over.
Life becomes a bit sweeter and you are able to enjoy it – this is the flat part to going downhill. You are having a good time and things are going well or are normal for you, there are no real complaints. At some point you will be standing at the bottom of the hill and know you have a mountain to climb before you can rest at the top. It is all very cyclical.
Looking at your life just now, what phase are you in? Are you struggling with something? Are you feeling like you are never succeeding and everything is a constant uphill battle? Can you even see the top of the hill? Maybe you are halfway up and know things are improving and you need to continue to move forward? Or is everything going well and you are enjoying life at the moment and taking everything in your stride?
When things are not going well, be kind to yourself and know you will get through it. It will pass. You may need to really dig deep to push through and come out the other side but you know you will get there eventually. If you are doing all you can and it is within your control, know it is enough and you are giving it your all. You can only go at the pace in which it takes to overcome the situation. If it isn’t in your hands and you have no control or have to wait for someone to do their part, then you need to be patient, which isn’t easy when you want it to be over.
Waiting is often harder than dealing with the actual situation. Once you have all the information or someone else has completed what they need to do, then it makes it much easier to make the decision or deal with the situation arising. Stay strong and look after you.
Life is tough, there are many ups and downs. Navigating them, just like on a walk, you have to go at the pace that is right for you and do all you can to get through. Your friends or family will be there to support you and help get you to the top of the hill, whether it a simple steep slope or something much more serious. Reach out and ask for help. Remember you are stronger than you realise.
Thank you for reading and have a lovely week.
Love Emma xx
Wellbeing with Relaxing Lavender 