Walking. We do it every day. It’s a mindless task that gets us from point A to point B. Most of the time, we’re not even thinking about it, about our brains firing and our muscles moving and our legs moving forward and forward and forward.
One of our SPARK speakers (and good friend of mine), Lisa Wilson, has been on a walking journey for the past few years. She’s an active participant in the #Walk365ish challenge, which encourages people to walk at least 30 minutes daily. Lisa has taken this challenge to heart and has been consistently walking daily for 1500 days and counting (😱). The discipline and dedication this requires is incredible, but the mental and physical benefits of the journey are even more profound.
Walking is obviously a form of exercise, so your body will respond to such a consistent workout. But it’s not about that. It’s more about the mental clarity you’ll receive from the fresh air, the repeated motions, and the time to reflect on any and all aspects of your life.
Today, I want to encourage you to take a walk. And when you’re walking, I really want you to focus on the walk itself–on the movements your body is making, the distance it’s travelling, all of it. This isn’t about exercise or weight loss, but about taking a break, being mindful, and getting some fresh air.
Now, I understand that not everybody has the physical capabilities or the time to walk every single day. If you’re too busy to take a stroll, try to incorporate more walking into your day in other ways. Park at the back of the parking lot, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to lunch instead of taking your car. If that’s still not possible for you, go sit on the porch for a bit. Just a few minutes of fresh air can make all the difference!