It’s week two of The parkrun Resolution and it’s all about taking small steps forward. We’re here for you. Read on for this week’s top tips and don’t forget to celebrate what you’ve done so far.
Often the hardest thing to do is start: to start something new, make a change, do something differently. You’ve hopefully made the most important step of setting your #parkrunresolution for 2021 and have even taken your first small steps towards making that resolution come true.
Please let us know what you have chosen as your #parkrunresolution, and whether you are connecting with others for that little bit of support and encouragement. Have you found it easy, or have there been some mental or physical battles to overcome? We would love to hear about your goal and your journey, so please do share your stories with us using #parkrunresolution.
From the wonderful messages we have already received, we know that many of you are aspiring to walk, jog or run a 5k. But some of you have also told us about the challenges you’ve faced during the first week. Whether that be finding the time to be a little bit more active, wondering what to wear, fearing failure, worrying about what people will think: a journey towards a goal is rarely smooth. There will be highs and lows, ups and downs, times when we have a little more confidence and days when we are riddled with self-doubt. This is totally normal, and understandable.
Whilst there is no quick fix, here are a few things that might help you overcome any little bumps in the road:
If you are looking for some other tips for how to improve your own mental health, then maybe take a look at this blog by Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr Jen Unwin and Dr Simon Tobin, an NHS GP.
We know that social connection and strong, trusting and supportive relationships are such an important part of nurturing our mental health – especially when we are feeling a bit low, or having doubts. Yet, at the moment we are faced with a situation where social distancing makes connecting with others so much harder than normal. At these challenging times, we would love to encourage parkrunners around the world to reach out to those in their community, either in person or virtually, and offer a bit of support in helping people progress towards their #parkrunresolution goal. It might be as simple as a phone call or text message or an offer to join a friend or family member on a daily walk. A little gesture can really make a difference.
At the start of week two of the #parkrunresolution, remember that taking small steps every day might not seem like much but when you look back you’ll see how far you’ve already come.
You can do this.
#loveparkrun
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