Tranquilosophy: Walk
Week 33: Walk
Lift, shift, place. This is the basic instruction for walking meditation. Over and over again without a destination.
Simple, often autopilot, and overflowing with benefits, walking is en vogue.
Great minds such as Steve Jobs, Thoreau, and Virginia Woolf used walking to think better, gain energy, and conduct meetings.
I mean, they’re pretty solid endorsements, right?
Goodness, there’s even a TED Talk touting the benefits where the speaker claims that sitting is the new smoking. She says that we’re on our bums approximately 10 hours a day and this takes a toll on our energy, state of mind, and physical health.
A friend of mine began getting off the Metro a few stops before hers and lost 100 pounds from her daily 1.5-hour walking commute!
Walking proponents such as Geoff Nicholson, author of The Lost Art of Walking, recommends partaking in this beneficial activity sans phone, music, podcasts, or audiobooks. Yep, just engaging in the distraction-free act of putting one foot in front of the other.
The French refer to this as flaneuring—leisurely strolling without a destination in mind. When’s the last time you allowed yourself this pleasure?
In a 2014 Standford University study, 81% of participants noticed an increase in creativity. Thoreau wrote in his journal that when his legs moved, thoughts began to flow.
Have a problem to solve? A brainstorming meeting to attend? Feeling sluggish mid-day? Put on comfy shoes and hit the pavement for a dose of fresh air, change of scenery, and shift from the screen.
Walking is said to also lift spirits, strengthen memory, and decrease risk of some cancers. 30 minutes per day is recommended. Sound impossible? Try 15 in the morning and 15 in the evening. Weave it into your daily routine.
This week weave walking into your routine. Schedule a walking date with a girlfriend. Take your pup on a long stroll. Sneak out in the afternoon for a walk around the block. Notice how you feel when you return from your walk. Has anything shifted?
Share insights and photos from your walk in our Facebook group and/or using #52weekstranquility via other social media channels.
Watch for Week 34 of 52 Weeks of Tranquility here next week. Thank you for being here with us. Bisous. x
what is 52 Weeks of Tranquility?
This complimentary program is designed to help us stay motivated and engaged in 2015. Each week I’ll send inspiration to your inbox via Love Notes.
Joining later in the year? No worries, read previous weeks here.
To find support and community, join our private Facebook group and use hashtag #52weekstranquility to create additional online connections.
Connect live by calling in to Seasonal Tranquilosophy podcasts. Next one is happening Monday, September 21. Can’t join us live? Recordings are available.
May we savor deep moments of tranquility. x
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