Take A Walk

Walking. We do it everyday. The vast majority of us anyway. It's pretty much the most basic form of movement for humans. Walking. Some of us walk much further than others. Some of us walk because we have to, because we have no other way of getting to where we need to go. But when was the last time you walked for the sake of walking?

According to health research and such, walking is supposed to be really good for your health. I'm not going to throw numbers at you, but walking consistently as exercise can lower blood pressure, lower risk for heart disease, increase muscle and bone strength, blah blah blah. Walking is great because literally any able-bodied person can do it. 

Walking is good for mental health too. I discovered this for myself one night last summer when I took a two-hour stroll around the neighborhood to keep myself from punching walls out of frustration. You can read online all the stats about how walking is good for both mind and body, but have you ever taken a walk when you should be pulling out your hair? People don't tell you to "walk it off" for nothing. And it's not just beneficial when you feel like rage-quitting Call of Duty or stressing out over money problems. Anytime is a good time to walk. I like to walk simply to assess what happened during my day and how I can improve upon tomorrow. Walking seems to unlock levels in the mind that you didn't know you had. And you always feel better afterwards, whether you were able to create a solution for world peace or not.

Try this. Wake up early one morning, before it gets too hot. Or wait until evening if you're not a morning person like myself. Put on your shoes, step onto the street and start walking. Simple as that. Go to a park if your neighborhood isn't the greatest or take a buddy with you. Walking for fifteen to thirty minutes a day will do wonders for you in terms of stress relief, mood, heart health and thinking clearly. Turn off the tv, log off Facebook, turn off the phone and go for a walk. The world will still be here when you get back, I promise. Try taking a notepad with you, jot down your thoughts as they come to you. Or simply enjoy being being outdoors for a few minutes. Something about being outdoors is just so freeing; sometimes I honestly feel trapped and uptight when I'm indoors.

Whatever your reason is for walking, it doesn't really matter. Just walk. It works. For me, sometimes walking is the only way to keep my head on straight. And that's okay. On those days when life punches you in the face, rub some ice cream on it and walk it off. Or even if things are dandy, take a walk. Walk, walk, walk.