Who Are Those People?

I walk for me.

~ To breathe ~ To meditate ~ To escape. ~

Just joking, I walk to get to work, the grocery store, the thrift store, the book store, the library, the coffee shop, the farmers market. Sometimes if I am feeling extra lazy, I walk to the bus stop and take that instead. However, despite how large the burden may seem in the moment, I always feel accomplished, refreshed, and more present when I arrive at my final destination when I walk.

This is why I walk. Because I can.

The Process:

If you are able, the act of walking can be completely rejuvenating. It probably won't feel this way if you try and force it to though. Focusing on the idea that it's a burden, a chore, or even an inconvenience will probably distract you from your walk and maybe even make you think you are worse off. This is valid. Remember they are just thoughts. I am sorry to tell you this, but there is no miracle anything if you do it with the mindset of "I can't wait until this is over" or "When does this end?".

If you're using walking to practice mindfulness, then you need to accept that the walk is for you to arrive in the moment and not just to be able to tick it off your list of things to do. The pace of life slows to meet you on your walk.

Happiness is finding joy in the moment. Walking is allowing yourself to arrive in that moment.

To Prepare for your feeling rejuvenated walk, you must first decide that you are worth it. Accept that no matter what is going on in your life taking those 2, 10, or however many minutes you choose for yourself will refresh your mind, body, and muscles in a way that will help you feel better. If your walk makes you feel worse, that's valid too, it just means you forgot to choose to honor yourself first. You are walking, you are the center of the action, you are following yourself through the motions. The act of walking can help you detach from the logical you and be present with the you right now.

Who by the way, is enough.

So you've done Step 1 - you've decided that you are worth it, that taking the 10 (or however many) minutes either right now or at some point today will give you space to be completely alone, away from technology, people, the same walls you've been staring at for however long, or the familiar routines of whatever it is you might be doing. And these are all going to be a good things for you, because you're worth the break!

Once you've decided you're worth it. Head out.

Okay so your outside, I know, I know, it might not be a scenic forestry beautiful trail of nature that you might feel is necessary for a successful walk, but the magic lies in finding the beauty in YOUR trail, YOUR path, where ever you are right now is exactly where you are supposed to be. Take deep gratitude in this.

The fact that you are capable of stepping outside and having the freedom to roam is actually something to be quite grateful for. Try to use the walk to detach from stress, allowing yourself to come into the presence. As you walk, name 3 things you see, 3 things you hear, and 3 things you are grateful for. Bonus! If there are things to smell, touch or taste that's a pretty awesome way to presence yourself too. Breathe.

Still not quite getting it? Try this example walk through as a guide.

As I walk upon this street, I look up and catch a glimpse of the sky. I notice a cloud and remember being young and spending time laying in the grass watching the clouds go by. I hear the sound of a car. I look to ensure they see me too. The car is white and I think to myself, I would never own a white car. I notice my judgement and choose to ignore this type of thought. I distract myself with the sidewalk. Looking down I direct my thoughts toward this instead. I think about how we have sidewalks and that someone's job once was to pour this sidewalk. I would not like that job I don't think. I add " but that's okay", and remember to smile. I notice a building and consider the architecture of it. Why did someone design it like that? I look for the beauty in the building. I notice a tree, I feel grateful for it giving me oxygen. I remember something that I was supposed to do this morning and immediately want to scold myself for forgetting, but instead I focus on my walk. How far did I get so far? I look at my feet and watch one foot go in front of the other and notice my pace. I remind myself that I can deal with it when I get home and that right now I give myself permission to be present. I turn my head to look behind me and see some cars at the stop light. I remember what it feels like to wait impatiently in traffic and feel free to be able to walk. I lift my arms to the sides just to feel how much space I have. I am enough.

~ Notice, as you walk you breathe ~

PS: In some places of the world, walking is kind of revolutionary. Who are these people that walk in such a fast paced world and why?

🙏 Namaste friends.