What I Learned from 2 Years of Daily Mindful Walking?
A Walker’s Manifesto
« Walking is man’s best medicine.» — Hippocrates
What does Mindful Walking mean?
It is a practice, where you are present while walking at a gentle pace. You walk for no other purpose than walking. The mindful dimension simply comes from observing your surroundings, listening to the birds and breathing slowly and deeply. You’re present, you can connect with nature and reconnect with yourself. Are you feeling ok by yourself? What is your inner voice telling you?
Walking Daily, Why?
We didn’t evolve to become sedentary. We are not “resting” while sitting at a desk for hours. We Are Born to Move on Our Feet. It became crucial to walk in order to partially offset the prevalent sedentarity of our contemporary lives.
Walking is a low-impact, moderately intense physical activity. You don’t need any coaching, special fitness level nor equipment to enjoy a walk. You don’t need to eat extra energy to sustain a walk. You can practice daily without risks. It’s free and you don’t need guidance for it. You can read about it, browse through the research papers but you will only feel its benefits by the practice itself.
The Refreshing Joy of Morning Walks in Nature
There is no better way to start your day than going for a walk in nature. You get sunlight, wake up gently and synchronize your circadian clocks. It’s a glorious time of the day, when people are peaceful and calm. Animals are already active. You wake up slowly with all your senses, observing and listening to nature, feeling it and being sensory engaged.
The Educated Taste of Sunset Walks
Another great time to take a walk is the golden hour, around sunset. That evening walk helps to relax, unwind and release the tensions from your day. You are present, reflecting on your day, sensing that each day is a life to enjoy and preparing your mind for a peaceful and relaxing night.
How Much is Enough?
Walking is an underrated practice that benefits you from your first steps, in the moment and after. It is one of the few physical activities that’s really safe and that you can enjoy without moderation. The daily sweet spot is anywhere between 10K and 15K steps, ideally in nature, having in mind that your neighborhood park counts as “nature”. You get to pick the right time of the day and the right dose of positive energy for you. A minimum would be to walk around 1 hour daily, ideally around 2 hours in aggregate. You don’t have to walk just once, it’s actually more enjoyable to go for several walks during the day.
Sorry for the spoiler, you won’t morph into Spiderman by walking daily even at a Nordic Walk pace. At best, you will actively offset the negative impacts of sedentarity. You will maintain or get back to a normal wellbeing state. Walking is a simple way to enjoy the active lifestyle that we are supposed to practice to feel good and age well. Walking is a low-impact exercise, beneficial for your joints, your muscular and bone structure. It helps to stay lean, fit and sleep well.
“If you are in a bad mood go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood go for another walk.” — Hippocrates
Walking as an Healthy Snack, Walking to the Supermarket
If it’s still pretty normal in Europe, I realized that walking as you shop is not that common in the USA. There is a beauty of mundane walks, and it’s a simple way to add healthy walking snacks into your daily routine. After all, the “farmers walk” popular in CrossFit clubs and at gyms can be done unintentionally by walking home with your bags full of fresh produces. The benefits of incidental exercise are well known by dog owners who tend to be healthier thanks to walking their four legged friends.
Walking for Recovery and Meditation
I am a European raised in Africa, walking has been the most natural way to move for all my life. It’s recently that I started to be more mindful about it and that I learned to appreciate it more. Mindful walking has helped me to improve my recovery. As a Master Runner, relaxation and active recovery are essential to keep training, prevent injuries and enjoy running. I get to enjoy my morning walks on rest days. I acquired a taste for afternoon walks to recover from my early morning runs.
I accidentally discovered walking meditation. My way to meditate is being in slow motion, in the moment by observing nature. I have a natural tendency for divergent thinking, I let my creativity flow as I walk. I also have walks where I focus on my breathing and practice more converging thoughts. Walking is a great way to realize that meditation is a normal state of being at peace with your thoughts.
Walking and Coaching
I noticed a better creativity, mental clarity and judgment, while walking during a meeting. My walking meetings were far more enjoyable and productive. That simple realization led me to offer coaching walks. Compared to my 1-on-1 online practice, I noticed the relaxing and calming effects of a gentle walk. The quality of the coaching conversations is greatly enhanced. The inspiration for change comes intuitively from wandering.
Interested in experiencing the benefits of coaching walks? I walk and coach in the parks of Greenwood Village along the Goldsmith Gulch: George M. Wallace, Orchard Hills, Tommy Davis and Cherry Creek State. Feel free to reach me about it.
More details on my Coaching practice at
