The Art of Walking and It’s Importance
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Although the phrase “take a walk” has a negative connotation, it is actually great advice. Walking provides a great source of fresh air and exercise, and it can help center the mind. It allows the body to focus on its surroundings. Not only is walking good for stretching your body by promoting better digestion after meals, but it also hits a mental refresh button in our brain. According to Stanford Medicine, walking increases focus and prevents procrastination. It also can cause dopamine which is a chemical in our brain that is known as the feel good chemical. Exercise has been proven to boost dopamine.; however, when you find yourself low on dopamine, usually the last thing you want to do is work out. That's where walking comes into play. It is an easy but highly effective exercise that engages the legs, arms, core, and the brain. Walking is also all about preference; you can design it yourself.
Some intellectually stimulating things you can add to your walks are listening to music, a podcast or finding a place with natural sounds. Sometimes the most calming thing for the mind is to fully decompress and step away from the world. Listen to birds chirping, leaves crunching, and the sound of your own steps. Walking can also become a real activity: invite friends, enjoy others’ company while also getting some steps in.
Now, the way that anxiety causes you to feel stressed and scared is because it takes hold of your brain. Now, releasing that anxiety is not always easy, so a simple way to get rid of the unpleasant feeling is to distract yourself. Take your head out of that space and direct your energy into something different. A very way to do that is by changing your scenery, an example being leaving the house to walk. Walking sponsors strong feelings of gratitude through surroundings. That could be in a crowded city finding peace, or a calm secluded area. Lift your mood by looking for beautiful things you notice on your walk. Walking can also be treated as a break: Distract yourself from stress and anxiety by centering your mind on something else, which could be music or simply counting how many times you see a certain object or color.
Gratitude is also present in exercising. Knowing you are bettering yourself in your body and mind. You are taking time to focus on yourself and improve yourself, which is a beautiful way to practice self love. Now, on to ways you can get more physicality out of a simple walk. Some things you can do that don’t require equipment are speedwalking, walking in a hilly area that provides an incline, or interval walking. This consists of walking fast for a minute or two, then breaking for another minute, then repeating the cycle. This is an easy calorie burner. Adding some gear to the formula, ankle and wrist weights can be easily purchased on Amazon and allow for an effective and easily achieved workout. Now, although this gear isn’t necessary, it takes it to another level and gives the body more of the test, which can feel difficult in the moment but will show great results with consistency. Results include feeling more comfortable, and being more confident in how you look and feel.
Walking is overall positive for your focus and stress levels because it decompresses the mind, reminds us to breathe and look around at the beauty in the world and provides great results for the body through its exercise properties.