6 Reasons for Walking

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Walking is a simple exercise that you can do on your own, anywhere and everywhere and you don’t need any special accessories-except for comfy walking shoes. So simple to do, and it has so many fantastic side effects. There are many reasons to walk and I’ll discuss my favorite 6 reasons to walk.

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1 Walking for Mental Health

Walking helps you feel relieved mentally and physically. A fast walk will activate your feel-good hormones, and a slow walk will make you feel good all over. Your body needs to move, and walking is a safe way to do that. Your mind will wander, and your new surroundings will help you shift your thoughts.

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2 Walking helps you Breathe Consistently

Walking will automatically force you to breathe consistently. When you breathe consistently, you relax. If you add a few breathing techniques to your walking, it will be even more beneficial. For example, you can count to 10 slowly as you breathe in and as you breathe out. Your breathing will slow you down, you will get lots of fresh air, and you will feel relaxed as you walk. A good technique is to walk reasonably fast for about ten minutes and then slow down and breathe, counting to ten for the next ten minutes.

3 Walking to Shift your Mood

A walk will get you out of your house, and your mood will change just by seeing new things as you move. Go a little faster, and the feel-good hormones will kick in, add deep breaths, and things will look brighter, and you will feel lighter. It’s not a cure for loneliness and feeling down, but it will help you feel better about yourself.

4 A Walking Habit

It can be a challenge to start something new. Start slowly. Make your first walk a short one so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Start with a ten-minute walk and add a few minutes a day or every other day. Soon you will want to go on long walks, and it will become a habit.

5 A Walking Hobby

Plan to walk in different places near you so that you get to know your area well. Expand your walking area by researching for walking paths in parks or a special place in another town. Go on a road trip to go on a walk. Document your walks. Take photos, use a map, draw a map and create a journal about your walks. Each hike or walk will give you a different feeling depending on the views you have.

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Your walks will help you feel connected to your area and help you feel in control of your life. Walking allows you to see a place slowly, get to know it, and a feel for it. The connection to that place will be much more profound than if you drive around it and go back home. Take time out to sit somewhere and enjoy the new view. Do a few breathing exercises to relax. Then, claim that space and move on. When you get back home, you will feel more in control of your life. I don’t mean that you will be controlling things; you will feel more grounded.

6 Walking to Feel Connected

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Whenever I feel alone, I like to take myself out for a nice long walk to a new place. So a few months ago, I woke up early and went for a lovely walk in the Guincho Beach area. I arrived early and had the beaches to myself. I walked through the Cresmina Dune, where I saw the protected plants, places where the sand was taking over, and the gorgeous hills surrounding the area. I sat on a bench on top of a hill- a low hill- and enjoyed the view. I only saw one person during that hour. You would think that would make me feel lonelier, but it didn’t. There was something so reassuring about the constant wind and the beautiful views. I felt connected. I walked down the beach to see the ocean, and some surfers were getting ready to go in the water.

I went home when I saw that more people were coming to the beach and I was ready for a good breakfast and, I considered that three hours was a good long walk. When I got home, I made a tasty cup of coffee, and I felt happy. After that, my mood changed, and I felt optimistic.

Have you tried walking?

What to do about Aloneness and Loneliness by Marguerite

50 and Rising Walking Meditation by Rachel Henry

Marguerite Beaty, Blogger, Photographer & Artist

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