Walking

After having put my shoes on and let my thoughts wander, I am sure of one thing – to put one foot in front of the other is one of the most important things we do. — Erling Kagge

I haven’t always been a walker. Some things happened over the past few years that turned me into one. First, in 2017 my wife, youngest daughter, and I took a trip to England to visit some dear friends. We walked everywhere because that’s what one does when in Europe. I was hooked. Second, I read Erling Kagge’s Walking: One Step at a Time. Everything he writes about in his book resonated with me. Third, I needed exercise that would help me lose weight but also be sustainable. I needed to enjoy the exercise so I could do it for life.

Little did I know that this simple act of walking would not only change my physical life, but also bring me simple and profound joy. I walk anywhere from 40-50 miles a week (that typically amounts to 5-mile walks five days a week and 10-mile walks the other two days). The exercise is exhilarating and liberating. Running, hard cardio exercises, strength and core training . . . these are all great workouts and have their place. But for me none of these compare to what I gain with simply walking.

Why do I walk?

I had already begun walking long distances when I read Kagge’s book, but he poetically described what I was experiencing in my own body and soul. As modern humans, we like to travel fast. We’re taught to focus on efficiency and our lives are filled with deadlines. So we travel by plane, rail, and car. For time’s sake, we want to maximize our exercise by running. But in this type of workout and in most modes of travel, we lose something vital: observing the world around us. When I walk, I experience sights, sounds, and smells I will miss when I drive or even run. Flowers, the sky, architecture, the faces of people . . . we often don’t see them because we are always in such a hurry to get to our destination. When I walk, I care more about the journey than getting to where I’m going.

Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking” (Twilight of the Idols). I couldn’t agree more. Most of the great thinkers of the last century almost all said something similar. Einstein walked daily to the university so he could ruminate on his work. The mind/body connection is powerfully demonstrated in how our cognitive skills are strengthened when our bodies are moving. This is not just about having brilliant thoughts, however. Clarity of thought is important for our creativity, but movement of the body is also imperative for mental health. When I feel myself sinking into despair, allowing negative thoughts to creep in, the quickest way for me to move into a healthier mental space is by walking. Other forms of exercise can also do this, but walking affords me the opportunity to not run away from my problems and emotions. Epinephrine and glucagon rise to release fuel to my muscles, endorphins are released into my brain, insulin drops, blood flows, and my breathing becomes steady. All of this not only brings health and joy to my body, but it causes my mind to focus on what is important and real. Shame decreases and I’m able to listen to my emotions: what my heart, body, and mind are telling me. Walking allows me to respond to the outer world and my inner world, rather than react to it. Simply put: walking makes me a kinder, more loving person. Just ask those who know me best!

Of all the practices I’ve incorporated into my life, one of the most important is walking. If you’re feeling sluggish, stuck, and/or unhealthy (in your mind, body, or heart, or perhaps all three) . . . walking may be just what you’re looking for. Start small. I did. I was living an extremely sedentary lifestyle, primarily due to my previous job. I began with a goal of taking 2,000 steps per day. That quickly turned into 5,000. For a couple of months, I couldn’t imagine taking any more than that. I quickly broke through that wall of resistance and now there’s rarely a day when I don’t take at least 10,000 steps. If I don’t, it’s either because circumstances prevented me from walking that day (this is VERY rare) or because I listened to my body and it told me it was time to rest. But I’m always ready to go the next day.

Lastly, walking gives me a sense of both connectedness to the world and autonomy from it. Walking is the supreme act of rebellion for me. I feel alive. I feel free. And that’s an incredible combination of feelings.