Going for a walk is a simple action. But this simple action can be a powerful tool to enhance your life.

There’s a certain peace of mind to be found from going for a walk outside. I use walks to get away from whatever I’m doing. Whether I am feeling overwhelmed by my work, or just stressed out from life in general, going outside and walking alone is a fantastic way to clear up my mind.

Many great thinkers in history have stated the value they found in taking extended walks.

“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” Friedrich Nietzsche

“I would walk along the quais when I had finished work or when I was trying to think something out. It was easier to think if I was walking and doing something or seeing people doing something that they understood.” Ernest Hemingway

“A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.” Paul Dudley White

“The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk.” Jacqueline Schiff

The Value of a Walk

There are in fact studies that show that going for walk outdoors can have significant effects on mood and emotional stability. Entering a green space can boost your mood, relieve stress, and induce a feeling of calm.

Spending time walking also allows your mind to wander, which I talked about in my previous blog post as being very good for your brain. A Standford study has found that going for a walk and allowing your mind to wander can boost creativity.

Life can get hectic. Things can happen that we don’t expect and can’t account for. Days can rush by and form into a single blur.

One thing that doesn’t change so fast though is the outdoors. Step outside and walk through nature. Forget your phone, forget your work, forget your obligations. Take a deep breath. Look at the world around you.

The peace that comes with going for a walk can do wonders for your mental well-being. The value of taking time to separate yourself from everything and just enjoy a walk is a simple but underrated thing that almost anyone can do at anytime.

Start walking, and for 20 minutes or so you can relax and detach from the world around you and enjoy a simple stroll.

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