I relax myself with...

It's cold, isn't it?
It was minus 6 degrees this morning.

While complaining about how cold it is, today I'm participating in Kaze-san's posting project.

I am submitting to the February theme “I relax myself with...”.

The first thing that came to mind was “walking”.

Since around last November, I have been taking on the challenge of a 10,000-step walking lifestyle.
It was a project for a community I belong to, and I've managed to keep it up for nearly three months.

(Of course, there are times when I can't walk, so I have a rule that it's fine as long as it averages 10,000 steps per month.)

This is really great.
Walking has many benefits, but

the benefit of doing it in winter is that your body warms up naturally.

It's like warming up from the core, I suppose.

Even just walking for about 15 to 20 minutes makes my body feel nice and warm, so I can go without heating for a while.

I'm quite sensitive to the cold, and in previous years I've spent all my time wrapped up in my futon, but
thanks to starting these walks, this year has been easier to get through.

It doesn't cost money, and you don't need any athletic ability.
You just walk.

It stabilizes my mental state, and I fall asleep better at night, too.

I feel that walking helps establish a rhythm for my day.

So, today I posted under the theme of "I relax myself with...".

Do you all have any tricks for keeping yourselves warm?

It doesn't just have to be about warming your body; it could also be something that brightens your mood or helps you stay positive.

The cold will continue for a while longer, but let's take it one step at a time!