Walk it Off x TfL
Pace yourself on a walk with varying speeds to work through whatever’s frustrating you.
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Whether just starting out in the morning or ending our day, emotions can arise and build. And if we're honest with ourselves, these aren't always the emotions we want to take into work with us or carry with us as we walk in the door at night. So this walk-it-off exercise, brought to you by Headspace in partnership with TfL, does exactly what it says on the tin. It allows us to walk off the emotion, whether that's pent-up frustration, anger, sadness, or whatever else might be brewing internally. The benefit of this exercise is that it grounds us and returns us to the present moment. View it as a recalibration of sorts, a chance to put down whatever is bothering us and adopt a different state of mind. Okay. Are you ready? So go ahead and start walking with an even pace. Not rushing, but not walking slowly. So first, as you walk, just start to notice how the body moves, noticing the legs, then the arms. Now, it may feel a little weird to notice something we usually do so automatically, but try not to change anything. Just feel the way the body moves. And as you keep walking, starting to pay more attention to the legs, noticing when the left leg moves, and then the right leg, even noticing how the feet hit the ground, how they move from the heel to the toe, one side, then the other. Just continuing to walk in this way and tuning in to the feeling of the soles in your feet, really experiencing the sensation of your heel moving against the ground, and your sole, the ball of your foot and your toes, noticing how that sensation moves through your foot. And then tuning in to the other foot, finding that same movement, experiencing the sensations. Just letting your attention drift from one foot to the other and back again, just finding a natural rhythm here. And for a moment, as you continue at this pace, just focus on your breath, how your breath's deep or shallow. Either one is okay. But just use this time to take a deep breath into the belly, slowing your pace as you do and letting all out, slowing your pace, one foot, then the other foot. One foot, and the other foot. Breathing deeply, slowing that pace, slowing your breath. And then just staying at this pace, returning to that sensation of the soles of the feet against the ground. So at this slower pace, clench your hands for a second, tight as you can, and release and shake out your hands. If you're holding your device, just one hand is okay. Keeping your pace slow, breathing deeply, and just clench your hands again, really tight, and release. Relaxing through the arms and the shoulders, maybe rolling your neck a little. And now let's come back to the pace. Settle back into whatever pace feels normal and comfortable for you. So in the...
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About your teachers
- More about Andy
A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.
- More about Eve
Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.
- More about Dora
As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.
- More about Kessonga
Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.
- More about Rosie
Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.
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