Activism

Take A Walk

Surly Amy here with some simple advice. Life got ya down? Feeling blue? Bored? No car? Sick of the internet? Nothing on TV? Just beat that video game? Hate all the people around you? The solution to all of those problems might be as simple as taking a walk.

I know exercise is hard and not all of us can run marathons like our pals Elyse or Julia can, but sometimes just taking that first step is all you need to change your trajectory and start living a healthier and sometimes even a happier lifestyle. The simple act of walking in many cases can be better for you than running or other strenuous activities and at the very least it will help you get moving. And one thing us science nerds know, is that a body in motion is more likely to stay in motion.

The Mayo Clinic website states:

Physical activity doesn’t need to be complicated. Something as simple as a daily brisk walk can help you live a healthier life.

..brisk walking can help you:

•Maintain a healthy weight
•Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
•Strengthen your bones
•Lift your mood
•Improve your balance and coordination

The faster, farther and more frequently you walk, the greater the benefits.

converse shoes sm

We all know that walking is certainly not a cure-all nor a quick-fix for anything, but it can be the first step towards something wonderful in your life and it can be a really great solution for someone who wants to start exercising but can’t afford a gym membership. Maybe you don’t know how to start exercising. Talking a walk can be that first step.

Want to know another great thing that taking a simple walk can do? It can literally change someone’s life by granting them a wish!

That’s right! Walking can be like magic!

magic
(Side note, THAT gif may actually be Shia Labeouf’s greatest contribution to art, but I digress.)

Back to the magic of taking a walk!

There are many “walk for charity” events that one can get involved with throughout the year and one special event is happening next weekend in North Texas. Walk for Wishes is an event that raises funds to grant wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions in North Texas and Mad Art Lab contributor Courtney Caldwell is getting off her couch to participate!

I asked Courtney to explain the event and tell us why she rose up to meet the challenge:

Walk for Wishes is a 5k walk/run that benefits the Make-A-Wish foundation, a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children with a terminal illness. Walk for Wishes seemed like the perfect way to get involved in the local Dallas community while helping kids with terminal illnesses fulfill a dream. It’s also something that’s very much outside of my normal area of volunteer work & activism. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that’s probably because I’ve been truly fortunate to not have dealt with this kind of issue in my own life. This isn’t an issue that has impacted me on a personal level, and I want my charitable work to encompass as many walks of life as possible. I can’t even imagine what these families go through, and I’m honored to be a part of something that hopefully brings them a bit of happiness. I’m hoping that the money we raise will bring some light into these kids lives, while also allowing their families make some amazing memories . I’m also really excited to get to know other volunteers in the area, and hopefully find new ways to impact kids lives and the community as a whole.

So I know not everyone can walk, but Courtney can and is going to do so to help kids who are much less fortunate that her. Courtney is someone who has met my “Do Better Challenge” and I’m really proud of her.

Now, as of writing this post she has only raised $10 toward her $250 goal. Maybe you would rather stay home and play video games instead of going for a walk and that is totally understandable, but if you can, consider giving Courtney a pledge so she can help make a child’s wish come true.

Courtney’s Walk for Wishes funding page can be found here.

Painting of Chucks by me. © Amy Davis Roth

Amy Roth

Amy Davis Roth (aka Surly Amy) is a multimedia, science-loving artist who resides in Los Angeles, California. She makes Surly-Ramics and is currently in love with pottery. Daily maker of art and leader of Mad Art Lab. Support her on Patreon. Tip Jar is here.

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12 Comments

  1. My car died in November, and I’m really glad it was in November and not July, because I live in Phoenix, and not having a car in July sucks. But right now, it’s still lovely out and I often choose to walk rather than call for a ride (I work for a start up transportation company in Phoenix; not like Uber, more like a monthly subscription service, and we provide the hybrid cars).

    But in July? “Brisk walk”?! Hahahahahaha. Let’s call it “Really hot, sweaty, terrible walk, wherein the sun is beating down on you, and it won’t go away, and the top of my head nearly burns my hand when I touch it, and I think my brain is boiling.”

    So, I am not looking forward to July, even though I will still have an option for a ride a lot of the time. OMG SO HOT.

    So yeah, walks are great, but… Not when it’s 115+ out. Or during a blizzard. They probably suck then, too.

    Not criticizing this post. I am just not looking forward to summer and those walks I will HAVE to take when it’s 120 out. Or at midnight when it’s still over a hundred. My first 8 summers in Phoenix were spent really pissed off, hot, sweaty, and wishing it was Halloween already so it would be decent again I’m not looking forward to it.

    SO! I am going to walk to the grocery store and back here in a few, while I still can. And it’s going to be awesome.

    1. BTW just so I don’t make it all about me, I did donate! Not a lot, but I hope it helps!. Good luck Courtney!!

      1. And LA is does NOT feel that much better in the thick of summer. LOL

        I’m just glad I have the option now to get a ride from the grocery store or whatever now, and even if I didn’t, I am now sandwiched between two great grocery stores with easy walks (I don’t even have to get close to a busy road). Things are so freakin’ spread out here.

  2. Good advice. On top of my nutritional changes and normal gym workouts, walking all last summer and fall really helped with my stress levels and physical health.

      1. Hey, I did what I could do. I’m in the middle of moving into a new house, and I don’t really have much to spare. This came out of my grocery budget, because there’s no where else in my budget that has wiggle room right now. I figure I can eat leftovers a few more times, and pancakes are pretty filling.

        1. I was just teasing you! So many sighs!

          I, too, am broke, but I’m used to being broke, so I’ll just continue being broke! :D

  3. It’s too bad more places don’t take donations like this from PayPal. I much prefer taking the money from my back account rather than my VISA which is scaaarrryyy. Good luck Courtney!

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