by Steve Marshall

Created on: January 09, 2009   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Stress is a major problem in nearly all of our lives and in our modern day society way of living. Unless you are a Buddhist monk, or already dead you will probably be suffering some forms of stress. This can of course be perfectly natural and there might in fact be nothing much else wrong with you. Stress levels however have a way of adding together and building on top of each other and soon you just might be suffering from a mountain of stress.

What is the obvious answer then? Well go and start walking on that mountain.

Walking in any form, not just in that rarefied crystal clean mountain air, will also benefit you immensely.

Walking can be relaxing and a form of meditation for you. You have the option to spend the time quietly thinking, or not even thinking much at all.

If you live in a stressful environment at the office, or at home, simply going outside for a brisk walk immediately distances you from this stressful atmosphere.

There is a lot to be said for walking. Once into your natural walking gait it opens the gate for your whole body to relax itself. Tightly held muscles loosen up and fall back into proper alignment. This brings you immediate stress relief. The pain from walking around with continually tensed muscles, if only in the rigidity of your facial expression bringing worry lines to your face. Walking helps to melt them away, as you begin to induce a mild sweat.

Relax into your surroundings, observing nature, the trees and plants, and birds and other animals that might cross your path as you walk along. You can walk alone, or vent some steam with a walking partner. Let off some steam even as you build up a new head of steam, and quicken your pace a little.

Walking has been proven to lift your mood and even your depression will be lessened as you lift those feet repeatedly along the walking track of your life. Every step you take is a step along your life path, so try to make some steps just a little less stressful by walking.

The place where you walk can assist you in your aims to becoming a more centred and balanced person.

A peaceful beach walk, a walk around a lake in a park, a bush walk or a walk on a nearby forest track will all provide quicker stress relief. More soothing and beneficial thoughts will begin to arise in you than if your walking alongside a noisy polluted highway in the middle of busy city traffic chaos. You might actually end up more stressed from doing this.

The more brisk the pace, the better the health benefits to your cardiovascular

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