Happy New Year to everyone who reads this.
With the old year gone, and as we look forward to 2023, I have set my objectives for walking in the coming year. I did not do too badly in 2022. My Swiss objective of walking from Basel to Stans, and back from Luzern by a different route was achieved. So too was my international objective, of walking the Chemin de Stevenson. My third objective, to complete two marathons, was only partially achieved, with one marathon done in May 2022.
Once again, in 2023, there will be a Swiss objective, an international objective, and an organised walk objective. And to help me achieve all three, I have enlisted the help of Daruma dolls.
The Daruma doll is a commonly used motivational tool in Japan. When you get the doll, the eyes are blank. The idea is that at the same time that you set your objectives, you should mark in one eye, and leave the other blank. Then, you put this one-eyed doll somewhere prominent, so that it will always remind you that there is an unfulfilled objective. Right now, I have these three one-eyed Daruma dolls sitting at my desk to remind me of what I want to do in 2023, one for each objective. When the objectives are achieved, and only then, I will be able to mark in the second eye.
So what are these objectives? They are quite simply
- To walk the Alpine Panorama Weg in Switzerland.
- To make a significant start (>500km) on the Via Francigena.
- To complete at least two organised walks, each of at least marathon distance, maybe much longer.
And of course, I shall endeavour to report it all here.
Walkingman 