I’ve always loved walking. It’s important and I want to encourage everyone to get out and involve yourself in this activity. There are so many reasons to walk. However, what are the philosophies and functionalities that underpin it? Today I talk about these points which are adapted from an old news clipping that my parents — who embedded in me my love of walking — had on our fridge.
- Life is not a race. We’re not going from point A to point B as fast as we can. You want to make life more cyclical. This will make life more refreshing. Every activity feels new in this way. There is no reason to rush. Enjoy. Walking is a great of reminding ourselves that we’re here, in the present.
- Walking keeps you on your toes. Literally. We can walk for long periods. We are made (it’s in our DNA) to keep walking for long periods. Endurance is in our wiring. The more you move, the more you want to move.
- It’s cheap! There’s nothing you have to spend money on to get you outside walking.
- The world’s your gem. When you walk, the world becomes that gem, the stepper, the stairmaster. The adventure is right there, ready to be had.
- You can walk with anyone. You can walk alone, with friends, with family. You can walk with your dogs. It’s an amazing feeling to get the blood pumping and flowing.
- Walk in rain or shine. As long as you prepare correctly you can walk in any weather. Walking in the rain is really no big deal. This way you’re not trapped by the seasons. Indeed, you can watch the seasons change as you walk or hike.
- Set your own rhythm. You can go at your own pace and you can go at the speed that suits you. Speed up or slow down, walking makes it easy to go as you please.
- Interact with (or escape) people. If you need to be alone, or to think, walking makes this possible. You can also walk and connect with other people. Make new friends.
- Use your own motor. There’s something amazing about using your own power to move. Save gas with walking! With hiking, there’s an amazing feeling about carrying everything we need to survive on our backs.
- Every step is a new adventure. Hiking, or any type of walking, is an adventure because it can take you into a different space, a different mindset. Often our mindset holds us back. But walking can open up a new door, a new adventure.
When your walking, think about holding the pelvis so that you are able to move and walk for hours and hours and it will feel good. Pay attention to how you walk. So, get walking and try yoga as an accompaniment to walking. Walk with tenacity and compassion.
Resources:
- Check out: movementbylara.com
- Instagram: @lara.heimann
- Facebook: facebook.com/movementbylara
- C2C4Compassion