Weekly Spark #218: Walk It Out
The above image shows brain activity before and after a 20-minute walk. I’m no neurologist, but for simplicity’s sake, the red, yellow, and increased green showcase the heightened brain activity after a simple 20-minute walk. Forget about the scans. After you go for a walk, how do you feel? More alert? More focused? More motivated? More ready to attack the day? When faced with sitting still and doing nothing or going for a walk, I have to think you’ve felt the positive benefits afterwards.
Walks are great alone. If you go for a tech-free walk, you can leverage that time for creativity, reflection, and time to let the mind wander. It’s incredible to see the places your mind can take you when you let it. Don’t encumber it with unnecessary stimulation; let it run free. One of my favorite things I ever do (as I wrote over the summer) is to simply load up a pack and walk all day. I love walking. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I’ve done 14 walking marathons in 7 different countries over the last few years. The feeling of exploration and walking so much of course has its physical benefits, but I’ve seen far more on the mental side. Some of my best ideas, reflections, and motivation have come from these walks.
Walks are even better in community. With a few of my close friends, I can honestly say that we go for walks more than any other activities. I’m thinking of one in particular, it’s probably been almost two years since we’ve done anything BUT walk, which we probably do about once a month. I’m sure we would have a nice time and conversation doing anything, but I think that our conversations are better BECAUSE we are walking vs. any other activity. It’s so fun. Steve Jobs was known to hold some of his most important meetings as walking meetings, knowing that he would be more connected with his counterpart, and their brains would be able to think more creatively. A study out of Hong Kong notes that those engaged in walks with one another, even if silent, are said to grow a deeper bond within just 3 minutes.
Want to connect better with someone? Go for a walk. It’s commonplace to go grab coffee (which is the best alternative in my opinion), or dinner, happy hour, or drinks (I think what people default to out of ease or comfort), but walking is an easier way to be active and grow more intimate bonds. From social time, if you aren’t aiming for that, what are you really aiming for? Walk it out. See where the road leads.
Live footage of your boy out for a walk
Mental Diet
Quote of the Week:
“Just as a snake sheds it skin, we must shed our past over and over again.” - Gautama Buddha
I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Until next time… Take care of yourself and take care of each other. 🙏
Nathan