Ian Eyles

Gooood morning to you allllll!

And welcome to World Mental Health Day. It’s been amazing nine days of walking. Many thanks to the Burmeisters, the Locke family, Dale, Laurie (US), Rob, Pam, Leiarnah and Julie M for their wonderful donations. You have so far contributed to be raising 146% of my hoped for goal. But this has been a team effort. Usually Mr D and Tilly keeping my company on the early morning walks. Mr H has started joining in along with Jen cheering me on during the afternoon walks. A great way to improve your mental health is to walk. And doing it with a fur child in tow give us greater motivation to take just one more step more. While our pets will cover more ground than we do, letting them guide the walk means that our pace is sometimes easier, giving us more stamina. Sometimes they want to run, so we get a better cardiovascular workout. The joy of a pet is that they don’t care what you have been through or how bad your day has been. They are just pleased to see you; whether you’ve been gone five minutes or nine hours. Even better, they can encourage you to walk more than once a day. Wednesday Tilly and I went three times. Yesterday it was twice, but I also covered nearly 8.5km. Today, it was a very early start so we saw pre-dawn to sunrise on Lake Wendouree. So much wildlife. So many birds. So many snoofs. Keep those feet moving. Together we thrive. Have a great day. #onefootforward #WMHD2026 Share

Enjoy your day

Not the most handsome of shots, I grant you, but it was more for the message on my hoody. The last couple of mornings, I have been walking in the pre-dawn light with my youngest and the dog. There is something special about the early hours of the morning. But it is the time when intrusive thoughts come through. As I walk, I get to take in many things. Things that distract the monkey mind from leaping about. You can do this too. Rosellas are barely awake, magpies carol to each other about a delicious morsel, and the air is alive with smells that will burn off in the sun. Fresh cut grass takes on a different aroma. Somewhere someone has been cooking bacon. The sky streaks through with beams of light while the waning moon peeks over the horizon. There are quite a few other people getting exercise in the morning. You feel part of an exclusive group getting to walk in places that normally seem closed off to the public. It’s a different world, a beautiful world. So as my day begins and I get ready for work, I’ll leave you with this thought. Our last remaining chicken likes to crow in the mornings. Have a great day. Share

Always look for a little humour in your day

It is easy to get caught in the sad moments of depression. A wise person once told me to look for the little bright moments in a day. So, I ask you. When did brushing the cat involve two “licky sticks”, a big brush, a riot squad and a vacuum cleaner? Those moments where we can find a laugh, big or small, can release endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin and seratonin. Laughter also suppresses cortisol and reduces fight, flight or freeze responses. When taking a walk, especialy for One Foot Forward this month, look for those moments that make you smile, raise a laugh and lower your stress. The benefits are worthwhile. Share