It was a long time ago. Perhaps a decade has passed since I took walking seriously. Covering distance, walking from and to places. Sometimes with a goal in mind. Others, just for the sake of walking. But the premise remains the same: tracking steps with a pedometer and trying to make the best out of a situation that isn’t ideal.

A forceful change

I lost my job, as the government decided that the work of INGOs in the country (or in the western part, to be specific) was not welcomed anymore. Subsequently, hundreds of people lost their livelihoods — myself included. Now I go back to the dreaded job-search phase, something that I don’t particularly enjoy.

Improvise, adapt, overcome

It is a stressful situation. One day you’re clocking in and making a living, having steady income. The other, you’re jobless. It’s not like there isn’t work in the country; there is. But for someone who is in their mid-thirties — like me — starting over is rather difficult, especially when you invested a ton of time into training and development for a very specific profession. It seems rather wasteful to drop everything and start from scratch. However, if push came to shove, I guess I’ll start over.

Perks of walking

Walking is helping me clear my head and keep my cool. Taking things in slowly and feeling every step. Trekking with purpose. It helps get my mind off things and helps me think straight, trying to figure out my next move and what to do in the remainder of the year, as it’s a little over a month before the year is done. I don’t know if I could keep this walking streak, but I know it’s good for my mind and it’s good for my body, as I am trying to shed off a few kilograms. And it is giving me something to write about and share with my readers, so it’s a win-win in my book!

Final thoughts

Walking happens to be one of the few sports I can practice, since I am not an athletic person. But I feel that it is good for me on so many levels, and I hope to continue doing so in the coming days.