“Take a walk, clear your head” is a phrase I picked up when I was young and carry with me to this day. When the stresses of daily life consume your mind to the point where you feel like you want to step out of yourself, I find that going for a walk outdoors is the best cure. There is so much beauty in the act of going for a walk. It is a simple exercise routine that doesn’t push your body to its limit and it gives you the opportunity to take in your surroundings. Walking is a low-effort way to take care of your mental and physical health simultaneously.
My favorite part about going for a walk is the flexibility to customize it to whatever scenario you’d like. If you want to enjoy the sunshine, you can put on happy music and walk with a friend to get coffee! If you want time to think, you can put on meditative music or a podcast and wander through nature on your own. Something making you anxious? Go for a walk to let off your nervous energy and give your body something active to do while your brain processes your emotions. Walking is also a nice bonding activity with friends or acquaintences you’d like to know better. It offers the opportunity to talk with one another and experience the same sights and events of your walk together.
Walking can be slow and steady, fast-paced and virgourous, or spontaneous and exciting! I love leaving for class early and walking different routes to get there. Doing this has allowed me to discover shortcuts, run into friends I don’t normally get to see, and enjoy various scenic routes. My friends and I really like to take advantage of the days when New England weather blesses us with sunshine and clear roads and we walk to the furthest points of campus just to explore and take photos! Walking has become a post-meal routine of ours since we like to enjoy our time together outside of the dining halls.
I think walking is underrated simply because it seems repetitive and mundane. However, I find that walking doesn’t have to be repetitive at all! You can walk in the early morning and listen to the chirping birds as background noise. You can walk in the evening and watch the sun fade into the horizon. You can walk by a pond, by the beach, in the city, in the countryside, up a mountain…whatever you’re in the mood for! The possibilities are endless. As for the mundanity of it all… I say that for those of us with bustling busy lives, doing something mundane in between exciting activities is necessary.
Sometimes it can feel like life moves too quickly. Taking the time to literally stop and smell the roses is an essential part of keeping your body and soul nourished. Happy walking!
Source: All images courtesy of author