594-Happiness Benefits Of Walking

I was writing this title and the song lyrics “take a walk on the wild side” popped into my head.  I didn’t think I could use that as a title, but it sure did make me giggle inside, which, of course, boosted my happiness. 

 

Transcript:

 

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and today we are talking about the benefits of walking for your happiness. 

 

When was the last time you took a walk without distractions? This means no texting, no music, no podcast (not even me), no nothing?

 

Has it been a while? Taking the time to go for a walk during your busy schedule may be hard enough, but to do it without any distractions or multi-tasking is even harder. I get it! But what if I were to tell you that walking, just walking, could boost your happiness?

 

A 2008 study found that walking not only improves your health through exercise but it also decreases depression and gives people greater vigor. A 2016 study also found that regular walks by the elderly provided the same results as well as improved mental health. So, why wouldn’t you want to take a walk?

 

Remember, there are no limits or expectations when it comes to taking a walk. For most of us, it will be a 30-minute jaunt around the neighborhood, but there truly are no boundaries. I'll give you two examples: In The Atlantic, happiness scientist Author Brooks, talks about the benefits of his 100-mile walk on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. He spent a week walking and truly found peace by letting all his pent-up jumbled thoughts out by actually taking the time to think about them. In contrast, one of my teammates, Chelsey, experienced a sunrise meditation walk of about 50 feet over the course of an hour (yes…that is a super slow walk) when staying at a Buddhist temple in South Korea. There, she was encouraged to embrace silence and to let go of errant thoughts to meditate by walking. 

 

How you choose to pursue your walk and the purpose behind it is up to you, but the sheer act of taking time to walk each day or even a few times a week can drastically improve your happiness levels. Therefore, today I challenge you to take a walk. Whether it is 10 minutes or an hour, just take the time to get out there, distraction-free, and walk. 

 

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Inspired by this article in The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/09/happiness-walking-pilgrimage/620075/