Hi The coach zone,
Welcome to this weeks ‘Get COACHd on Friday’…. and thank you if you have responded letting me know what you think of COACHd.
The summer months invite us outside. With the warming sun and supposed reduced rain (🤞), we can enjoy some outdoors by walking, running, cycling or some other activity. I often balance this with walking with clients as walking coaching. This is the most natural type of coaching – using stuff that we already know.
The neuroscience behind walking coaching is compelling. When we walk, our brain releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good hormones. These hormones can stimulate creativity, clarity of thought, and problem-solving skills. Simultaneously, walking reduces cortisol levels – our stress hormone – thereby promoting relaxation and openness to new ideas.
Researchers have found that walking, especially in nature, can significantly enhance our capacity for focus and concentration. It gives our prefrontal cortex – the brain’s command centre for decision-making and goal-directed behaviours – a much-needed breather. This ‘brain break’ lets the subconscious mind move into the driver’s seat, often unearthing fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to challenges.
Whether walking with others or coaching self, I find this liberating – often returning home with a new spring in my step and brimming with more focused ideas.
When was the last time you got out and smelt the fresh air?
