What does walking mean to you? asks Beth Kempton in her weekly prompt in her Soul Circle. It’s funny that this is her first prompt for 2025, because one word I almost chose as my word of the year for 2025 was ‘walk’. Although I’ve chosen the word ‘strong’, the image I’ve used is of a woman walking. Also as you will see at the bottom of the post, both the non-fiction books I’m reading/finishing this month have the word ‘walk’ in them.
This year, I want to be walking strong.
I’ve always had a strange relationship with walking as an exercise. I want to go for regular walks, but something deep within stops me (I think it’s called lethargy, resistance or plain laziness).
At the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, I enjoyed walking early in the morning, at least 4 times a week, for 3 months. Longish walks. Then the pandemic hit and the only walking I did was with our dogs! Since then, I’ve stopped and started and it hasn’t really worked out. I hope to change that this year.
When I was walking regularly, I realized it was such a good way to connect with nature, with my surroundings and with myself.
Plenty of opportunities to stop and take a photograph of a flower, a bush, a tree. I felt a sense of peace, as if Nature was inviting me to slow down and savour life and its richness.
Walking helped me clear my mind. Problems seemed to unravel and new ideas for writing kept popping into my head. It was like my brain had time to breathe!
Then there were the physical benefits I got apart from a mood lift. Keeping my sugars down, my heart healthy and my muscles engaged.
I have now realized that not walking regularly is an act of self-sabotage.
Time to change that. Being strong in 2025 means walking strong – regularly and mindfully.
What does walking mean to you?
♥
Corinne
I’m currently reading (affiliate links on Amazon) :
- 52 Ways To Walk : The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy – Annabel Streets
- How To Walk Into A Room – Emily P Freeman
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My book club read the book “Do Walk” in 2024, and although it wasn’t a particularly impressive book, something in it sparked me to start walking almost daily in my neighborhood. Sometimes it’s only for 10 minutes, but the fact that I do it daily is a win! 🙂 Hope you have great success with your walks, too.
Lovely to drop in here after ages Corinne. Shailaja started a group and initiated so many ways we can include walking as part of our daily routine. I am thankful to her for making me consciously walk whenever I could. Until then I would go out on walks, but like you mentioned, it wasn’t regular. For more than a year now, I walk to office which takes me about 15-20 mins one way, which has made walking possible 3 days a week. My husband initiates walking while my daughter is away in her dance class or at her friend’s place. I think that’s made me look forward to walking more now. I am looking forward to reading more posts on this topic and your journey this year Corinne. <3
More power to you, Corinne.
Somehow I find walking in my apartment complex boring. I used to love it when I was in the UK. The book 52 ways to walk sounds interesting to me. I will add it to be my wishlist.
I hate exercising with a vengence but I love dancing and walking. I like to walk alone with my thoughts. In our complex though, people keep coming up to say hello and stay on to chat. This spoils both my walk and my mood. I am trying to figure out a way to get my walk done in peace.
I’m the same. We’ve found that no one is about between 4 and 5 in the evenings. Since it’s still cool, it’s working at the moment.
I walk regularly. I love to go for walks. Whenever I travel to a new place, I love to explore that place by walking.
Yes, walking is the best way to explore a new place. We try to do that too.
Walking is a good exercise. I love going for a walk with my husband as I get to talk to him without fighting for his attention, which would otherwise be completely dedicated to his phone. When I go for a walk by myself I get to see nature, people, just life blooming around me while breathing in fresh air. I enjoy the photos of flowers, trees, and the sky you share, Corinne.
How are those books by the way?
Yes, walks together or separately have their own kind of charm. Thanks, Vini – I’m flooding Instagram with my pics! 😉
How to Walk Into A Room is good, but it has a Christian perspective. The book on walking is good – short and easy to read chapters based on research. The good thing is that you can read in any order. Some chapters don’t apply to our life in India.
Thanks, Corinne.
I am SO with you on this. Don’t even get me started on the gym fees I waste. I do have a friend, a former manager, who I try to walk with twice a week. We keep each other accountable. I love to walk – once I’m out and doing it. You’re so right that NOT doing it is an act of self-sabotage. We must stop this!