Chapter Content
Okay, so let's talk about creating new space in your life, you know, that feeling of breathing room we all crave. And honestly, there's one super simple, totally free thing you can do: just walk. Yeah, seriously, the power walk.
It might sound, I don't know, almost *too* easy, but it's true. Philosophers have been hip to this for ages. They've known that walking can really boost your mental clarity, your creativity, and just help you recover from, well, whatever life throws at you. There was this one philosopher, Aristotle, and he, uh, he basically founded a whole school of thought around walking. It was even called the Peripatetic school, which basically means "walking about." He used to walk while he lectured and had conversations, which, thinking about it, is actually pretty cool. And then you had Søren Kierkegaard, who was like, "Don't lose your desire to walk!" He said he literally walked himself into a state of well-being and away from illnesses. He even said he walked himself into his best thoughts! I mean, that's pretty profound, right? Like, a good walk can help you walk away from burdens or something.
And, it's not just, like, old philosophers rambling. There's actual science to back this up now. I think there was a study done at Stanford, and they found that students did, like, way better on tests that measured creative thinking when they were walking, or right after they'd been walking. Apparently, it boosted their creative thinking by something like sixty percent. And the benefits even lasted after the walk. That's kind of wild, right?
And, uh, also, researchers in Illinois saw that kids had improved cognitive performance after just twenty minutes of walking, compared to sitting down quietly for the same amount of time. So, yeah, getting kids to walk is a good idea, it seems.
And, oh, there's more. I think researchers at the University of Hong Kong figured out that talking while walking side-by-side with someone can actually lead to deeper feelings of connection. So, you know, walking meetings might actually be a really good idea. You know, you might actually get better outcomes from that kind of thing.
So, yeah, the case for walking is pretty clear. If there's one thing you can start doing *today* that will immediately create space for you, boost your creativity, chill you out and reduce stress, and just generally improve your mental well-being, it's a daily walk.
So, how do you actually work it into your day? Well, you can start with little things. Like, take a five-minute walk between meetings. Or after you eat lunch. Or before a big presentation, you know, to calm your nerves.
Or, you can go for a longer walk first thing in the morning, even just fifteen minutes. The sunlight, the movement, the fresh air... it's all gonna have a positive impact on your mood, your sleep cycle, your metabolism, your digestion, all that stuff.
And then, when you have some extra time, try to get in those longer, tech-free walks. I'm talking like thirty to sixty minutes, and at a nice, slow pace. Leave your phone at home. Let your mind just wander. Let your ideas mingle. I'd even suggest bringing a small notebook to jot down anything interesting that pops into your head because it will happen! You'll probably have some crazy insightful thoughts when you're out walking and thinking about things.
So yeah, walking with your thoughts. That's it. It's a really powerful way to create space, and it's available to all of us, and it's completely free. What are you waiting for, honestly?