Smile inside

PEACE AND HAPPINESS CAN SOMETIMES SEEM LIKE ELUSIVE CONCEPTS IN OUR FAST - PACED WORLD. BUT, AS A RUNNER, YOU’ RE ALREADY ON THE PATH TO CONTENTMENT. CLAIRE CHAMBERLAIN DISCOVERS MORE

Joy, peace and contentment: three states of mind that can sometimes seem just out of reach when you’re battling a daily commute, under pressure at work, exhausted by family demands and feeling thoroughly time-poor. All this, coupled with the amount of screen time many of us have these days, and the emotions we are more likely to experience are stress, anxiety and worry. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

“Peace of mind is something we rarely experience in our ‘always-on’ lives,” says life coach Steve Chamberlain (stevechamberlain.co.uk). “However, just 10 minutes of mindful presence each day can help us recharge and gain perspective.”

As a runner, this ‘mindful presence’ is something you might already be practising without even realising it, for example, each time you lace up your trainers. It’s the ability to be perfectly within the present moment, with no past stress or future worries clouding your mind.

“When we are exercising, generally speaking we are fully in the present moment,” explains Chamberlain. “We can find this state of mind in any situation, but exercise is like a fast-track to being fully present and mindful because, as a runner, the consequence of not being fully aware of your current environment could be the loss of your breathing rhythm, or even a twisted ankle if you trip on the trails. Being fully focused on the path you’re running along gives your mind something important to focus on, which takes its attention away from any worries that it might otherwise be contemplating. This is why many of us come back from a run with a sense of calm and headspace that has previously seemed elusive.”