Recently, I’ve really taken up walking. I used to think of walking not as a hobby or a tool for self love, but as an ineffective way of getting places—an activity a busy university student couldn’t afford to engage in. If I was going to exercise, I’d run since walking wasn’t intense enough. If I wanted to do my favourite hobby I’d figure skate or read a good book. Walking is something I do every day, like breathing—it definitely wasn’t a hobby. If I wanted to work on myself and practice self love, I’d journal or eat my favourite foods without guilt. Walking wasn’t going to help me with that, right?
During winter break, I met a girl who walks every day for two hours by herself with no music on—and not as a commute. I was shocked. How could she afford to go on two hour walks and why would she want to do that? I started to think about how my 25 minute walk could be so much more than an ineffective long commute. It could be exercise and a time to be with myself with no distractions. Walking could be a hobby AND get me places—the whole package.
Now I have a new philosophy: instead of taking the time to sit with myself, I must strive to walk with myself every day. It allows me to work on myself and have some alone time while exercising and going places. If you’ve never tried it, I truly recommend it!