Living life

Road trip

Steep hilly steps during a visit to Clovelly followed by a quick photo stop at Minehead (where the SW Coastal walk starts). Spending more time in the car now travelling between tourist attractions so the driving kms are outweighing the walking kms. Too many places to see and not enough time! Inspired to come back and spend more time walking.

75kms and counting

Today my legs were like jelly and I found it difficult to get moving but when the clouds parted to let the sun shine through I felt energised. Started the day watching seals basking on the beach and ended the day with a brisk walk to the top of the hill to see the sunset.

Why walking?

I was inspired to take up this walking challenge after witnessing the rapid decline of my elderly father's mental and physical health after he broke his leg and lost his independence. How can a simple broken leg have such a huge impact on a person's life? It was a major interuption to his routine. He could no longer drive or go to live footy games or music events. He had to rely on others to take him to the shops or medical appointments. He wasn't getting better and he couldnt understand why. If only he had the motivation to do his physio exercises. If only he made an effort to walk everyday when help and support were available. Instead he felt depressed and disheartened. His body seized up and his memories faded. Movement pumps oxygen into our lungs and around our muscles. Just going for a walk stimulates all of our senses and the endorphins help us to feel more positive. I'm inspired by the stories of people who take up walking, running, swimming, dancing, whatever it takes to get moving and enjoying life. 1 step at a time! This is why I am walking.

Support my walk for mental health research

Did you know that 1 in 5 Australians experience symptoms of mental illness each year? Mental illness can be debilitating and can have a devastating impact on not only those living with it, but those around them.  From now to the end of October, I am walking with One Foot Forward to help reduce the impact of mental illness and to raise funds for Black Dog Institute to make ground-breaking new mental health treatment and services available to those who need it. It would mean so much to me if you could make a donation to show your support. Together, we can create better mental health for all Australians.