It was cold this morning when I ventured outside for my walk. High gray clouds covered the sky, making the barren trees appear all the more naked. Winter is definitely approaching, with only two weeks until solstice. I walked briskly, filling my lungs with deep breaths. Each one was sharp on the intake from the cold.
I love to walk all year long, but I have always been fond of walking when it’s cold outside. Something about the sting of the air on my skin and the stripped down landscape pleases me in a way that walking in other seasons doesn’t. I am reminded of all those days of my childhood when I played outside in the snow each winter, and went for walks with my family when everything was blanketed with fresh powder and the world was so silent, so still.
When I walk, I think. The rhythm of my body moving at a steady pace allows my mind to relax and focus at the same time. I shut out all the distractions that surround me at home and allow the rhythm of my steps to guide my mind toward something new. At some level, I return to the girl I was walking around my hometown village in the softness of new snow. Going to that simpler time helps me work through whatever challenge is plaguing me at the moment.
It never fails, either. Walking is such a simple way to solve problems, you would think more people would take advantage of a 30-minute stroll to help them break through whatever has them blocked. Perhaps walking’s simplicity is one reason it gets overlooked. These days, it seems as if the solution to every problem under the sun can be found online, in the latest webinar or product launch or business opportunity. While there is merit to some degree to all the programs online, we cannot forget that life exists beyond the keyboard and the mouse.
When I return home from my walk, I often have a solution, or a fresh perspective on something, or a new idea. Not only does my body feel fantastic from moving, but the cobwebs in my brain are gone. I am happier, energized, and focused. Getting to work again and pushing myself to reach my next goal comes easier without the mental and physical constraints I felt before walking.
When was the last time you took a walk? Are you a regular walker, and if so, what benefits have you experienced from getting out there? What memories of walking do you have from your childhood? Does walking remind you of someone special in your life? Do share your stories in the comment section below and pass this post along.
Onward!
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Hi Mary Lou,
I walk every day. Like you I prefer to walk in the winter. There’s something about the cold air hitting my face, the stillness that winter brings, the peace of the season.
It’s interesting you chose this topic because my girlfriend and I talked about this earlier today. Walking in the winter is cathartic mentally and physically. I feel that being in nature puts you directly in the flow and the only reason we have fears, anxieties and issues is because we fight the flow. We spend so much time fighting the flow, telling God that we know better yet a simple walk in the winter air remedies our ego-based issues.
We’ve been experiencing 20 degree temperatures at night, which is cool for New Jersey, but not for me. The colder it is, the less people outside, the more stillness, the more I enjoy my walks 😉
Thanks for sharing Mary Lou. Have a powerful day!
RB
Wonderful Post Mary Lou,
I always feel so good after a walk. I don’t walk everyday but I plan to continue to go for a little stroll as the winter months sometimes keep us from be as active as we want to be! I also love your video with talk fusion… very nice! i will opt-in now!
Have a great day!
Nathalie
Mary Lou, I thought I had been on your blog and lo and behold I am visiting for the first time, I think. Forgive me. This is a powerful blog and a strong message to us enterpreneurs. Walking is a powerful and really therapeutic that I wonder why I do not employ its benefits more. Thanks for this great reminder. Keep more coming, girl! Enomfon
Thank you for stopping by, Enomfon! It’s nice to hear from others who love to walk. I think we get so busy with our “business” that we forget to build time into our days for those little escapes, which a walk provides us. 🙂
Hi Nathalie, Getting outside to walk in the winter can be challenging, especially when the weather is bad. Do you live in an area where you are housebound at times in the winter? Of course we need to be smart about safety, but I have found that winter walking is particularly rewarding. It gives me a stripped down perspective on my life and the world around me.
Hi Ryan, Having grown up on the east coast, I know that 20-degree bitter cold you write about in New Jersey! The walks I was describing in my post were referring to my childhood on Long Island. The skies would get so blue after the snowstorms passed, and walking in the snow was just so peaceful. I loved being outside, even when temperatures were way below freezing. Thanks for sharing your love of walking in winter! Stay warm! 🙂
Mary Lou,
This is my favorite way to unwind the thoughts in my mind. A walk in the woods allows everything to fall into perspective for me. I realize my problems are small compared to all that is happening around me. Spent some time this last week in the woods and felt so refreshed and renewed.
Val 🙂
http://www.valwilcox.com/creative-chaos/ My latest post – Creative Chaos
The hectic pace of life too often steers us away from the benefits of ‘quiet time’. When we do remember to stop, we can achieve so much when we get back to what we were doing.
Mary Lou, taking a walk in the snow is not what the climate in Melbourne Australia offers, but a walk in the bush or on the beach offers a similar chance to get away from it all.
As much as I love walking outdoors, I never seem to take the time out from my busy schedule. I know it would do me good…. I know it will rejuvenate, invigorate and with the pristine snowfall we have outside today (6″)… captivate!
I live in pretty much what could be described as a rural area, yet I don’t take advantage of the beautiful nature just outside my door. Dang it, Mary Lou…I’m going for a walk RIGHT NOW – I’ll finish this later!
Mary Lou,
It’s way way too cold to walk outside for me – my body is not adept to cold temperatures. I guess, I’ll have to adopt another manner to refresh the brain cells. Usually for me exercise works or showers for some reason – only problem is I have not come up with a way to write in the shower and my idea tends to float away by the time I get dressed.
Hi Ziz, Showers have been a place of inspiration and problem-solving for decades, so you are in good company! And exercise of any type has been shown to stimulate brain activity which in turn opens up channels of inspiration, so I agree — head to the gym or get out some music and dance around the living room. It’s all good for creating forward motion! 🙂
Hi Val, I imagine that where you live, there are many beautiful places to walk. I, too, am fond of walking in the woods. It is a peaceful place to go, a place of solitude and magic. So great for the soul! 🙂
Hi John, Well, walking along Melbourne’s beaches must be pretty spectacular, so I wouldn’t put much stock in not having any snow there! 🙂 If I lived in a climate that was warm all throughout the year, I would miss the cold days, but not TOO much. LOL I hope to one day come to your part of the world and see its beauty.
Hi Chris, So did you go out for a walk? How was it? Living in a rural area offers so many options for great walks, yet we as a culture are so conditioned to stay indoors anymore, we DO miss out on the natural beauty that surrounds us. I realize that when temperatures are brutally cold (or hot) there are health risks when venturing outside. That’s why when a great day comes along I make sure I get out into it! 🙂