Walking

Sometimes, simply showing up in this life feels like a miracle.

As a coach, I hear about profound pain and extraordinary joy, sometimes within the same hour. Someone is dealing with a diagnosis or the end of a relationship. Someone else is celebrating a new baby or an accomplishment.

I experience that full range of humanity, and I can find the contrast jarring.

When I ask what helps me stay balanced and find some peace, one answer comes up more than anything: walking.

A practice that includes more than movement

I have walked regularly for as long as I can remember.

Walking is closely connected to reading and coaching for me. I listen to audiobooks and podcasts on walks. I also coach myself and talk with friends.

It is difficult to separate which part contributes most. Together, they are a powerful combination in my life.

I do not usually walk with the goal of reaching a particular heart rate. I move at a pace I enjoy. I prefer distance over speed.

What matters to me is the practice: getting outside, moving, and choosing what I do with my mind during that time.

Notice the environment that supports you

When I moved to Miami, I discovered how much I missed being able to step outside for a peaceful walk.

I lived near a busy street. I could walk through traffic to a neighborhood or drive to a park, but it was a different experience from walking out my door onto a quiet route.

I thought the beach would be my answer. It was beautiful, but the sand and wind required more concentration. I did not get the same mental space for listening or coaching myself.

That showed me something important about what supported my wellbeing.

When I spent time in San Diego, I found trails with beautiful views and room to walk for a long time. I felt the difference in my motivation and my relationship with myself.

I love discovering a new trail and seeing where it goes. That curiosity is part of the pleasure of walking for me.

Try a silent walk

One kind of walk I take is completely silent.

If I have problems to solve, plans to make, or many ideas in my head, I let my brain move through them. For the first part, I may make notes or send a reminder to my team.

It is like a thought download. I let what is already there come out.

Then I often settle into a quieter space where I can think about dreams, desires, and what is happening in my life.

I approach myself with curiosity. It feels like going on a walk with a friend and letting her talk without interrupting or filling every silence.

I get to eavesdrop on my own thinking.

Give yourself room to hear what is underneath

As I have grown older, I have noticed more interest in my own desires and less noise about what everyone else will think.

My ambition has changed in some areas. I feel completion around certain things and excitement about others. Walking quietly helps me get to know that version of myself.

It may be difficult at first to settle underneath the noise in your mind. Give it a try.

I suggest turning off notifications that pull you into work or social media, while keeping any essential contact you need. I also prefer no music for this kind of walk, because I want my brain to find its own depth rather than focus on something else.

I enjoy long walks, but you do not need to walk as long as I do to experiment with silence.

Use a walk for friendship and coaching

Another kind of walk is what I think of as a girlfriend coaching chat.

I do not generally love talking on the phone. But on a walk, I may call my friends Kris or Aprille, and we talk about life, share ideas, or help each other through something.

Sometimes we are laughing. Sometimes we are discussing a difficult family situation. It is time for a deeper conversation.

We do this in person, too. Walking with a friend creates a different experience from meeting in a larger social group with partners.

My mom and I also enjoy walking and hiking together. It gives us a chance to catch up.

Consider a friend you want to know better or stay connected with. A walk can be a nourishing way to spend time together.

Learn through an audiobook or podcast

The third kind of walk is one where I listen to something educational, inspiring, or thought-provoking.

I listen to business, marketing, self-help, and financial books. When I become interested in a subject, my brain wants more of it.

I often stop to take a note, record an idea, or send myself a reminder. Something I hear may become an idea for a class, a sales page, or a podcast.

Listening on a walk can feel like a relationship with the person teaching. Many of you have told me you walk with this podcast and feel as though we are walking together. I understand that feeling.

Occasionally, I listen to an older episode of my own podcast. Hearing my past self while walking is its own interesting experience.

Let something you enjoy bring you outside

When I have an audiobook I cannot wait to hear, I look forward to the walk because I want to keep listening.

You might try making your weekly podcast time a walk. Or choose an audiobook that genuinely interests you.

I used to save People Magazine for time on an exercise bike. It gave me something enjoyable to pair with moving my body. Listening to an audiobook also helps me enjoy the mental part of lifting weights, even when I do not enjoy the workout itself.

The enjoyment matters. I am not trying to make every walk an intense exercise assignment.

Explore what walking gives you

I notice when I miss walks. It changes how I am with myself, other people, and my work.

Getting away from the computer, requests, social media, and the constant to-do list is a gift I can give myself.

Try a silent walk, a friendship conversation, or a walk with something you want to learn. Pay attention to your own experience.

For me, walking creates room to move, think, connect, and return with a deeper sense of myself. That is why I keep coming back to it.