For thirty-five years, my life was spent sitting — at a desk, in a car, on the sofa. Over time, I became all too familiar with doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths, and chiropractors, believing that the aches and pains I experienced were simply a normal part of life and aging which just had to be treated. Alongside the physical discomfort, I also faced mental health struggles, battling stress, depression and more.

When Covid hit in 2020, it seemed like a perfect storm for my physical and mental health — it certainly began that way!  But then two things happened:  I started on-line learning and Kai came in to my life.  Dogs need exercise, especially big dogs, so I began to walk at the end of every hellish day. After a while, I noticed something remarkable — no matter how bad my day had been, I felt SO much better after those walks!  In fact, the more I walked, the better I felt!  And as I walked, I listened to podcasts, at first to pass the time, but after a while I became addicted to discovering so much useful knowledge, including how good for my health it was to simply walk and talk (or listen actively).

What I learned amazed me:  Despite everything I’d understood about my declining health and the need for gym memberships, super diets, expensive medical treatments and more, what I discovered was multiple studies & reports confirming that the simple act of walking, for as little as twenty minutes daily, can be one of the most effective ways we can improve our physical, mental and brain health!  In fact, this easy and quick activity could improve, extend and even save lives!

I’d felt the benefit myself and knew something good was going on, but discovering all that medical proof inspired me to want to share the news of this “miracle drug” which nearly everyone could access and benefit from!  I began with friends who also saw and felt the positive benefits we all gained by simply walking and talking together.  But as someone whose always been deeply passionate about helping others, friend or stranger, I knew I had to find a way to spread this life-changing knowledge and habit to as many people as possible.

And so began Wizdom Walks — a platform designed to help people understand the benefits of walking and easily integrate it into their daily routines, together with more personalised offerings for small groups or individuals who want to share those benefits with Kai and me.

I’ve been doing and leading occasional hikes for many years, including running sponsored challenge treks for charity, but creating and maintaining a daily walking routine has been a life-changer for me!