Walking

I’ve found that maybe the things that seem so simple, so obvious, are the ones that are worth listening to.

How annoying is it when you are told day in and day out to drink more water? Even more so when you do and realize that yes, you needed to drink more water. It was obvious. So obvious that doing the obvious makes you want to groan. You didn’t want them to be right. You wanted to drink just enough water just to spite them.

Water aside (drink more water, by the way), there is something about the pills that go down easier. For me, especially when it comes to comes to writing, I feel myself hitting a wall pretty often. It isn’t that dragon called writer’s block, per se, but sometimes words aren’t flowing as well as I want them to. Sure, I can write—even if it is a total dumpster fire—and edit it to half of its life later. But if I find I have a little time on my hands, I know I can just put my wool socks on (because they are cozy and make me feel like I am somewhere colder, which is fun), lace up my boots, and see what life is like outside of my four walls. Walking may in fact be one of my favorite things to do.

Firstly, I have a pretty sedentary day job. If I am not walking, I am sitting in a dark room for many hours on end. Getting my feet moving helps combat this. No, it is not a workout replacer, but at least it gets my heart pumping.

Secondly, as a social introvert, it is a way for me to collect from the world around me, which is extremely helpful for writing. I listen to people talking, watch their body language (no I am not creeping on you, Mark and Lucinda, I am a writer and—yeah I am not making this better, sorry, enjoy your matcha). I can see how the clouds hug the mountains behind my apartment. Hear how the leaves crush underneath my feet. Hear the differences between birds in the morning and those in the afternoon. You get my point.

Thirdly, it does wonders for the mind. I have tried many things to combat my stress levels. Working out, meditation, those adult coloring books, knitting (made me lose my little mind). But nothing is as successful as leaving my apartment and seeing if I can hit 10k steps in one go.

When people are looking for a new apartment or a new home, they have a list of “must-haves”. A garage to store their bullcrap. A second bedroom, to also store their bullcrap. A porch, a second parking spot. A kitchen with an island. It wasn’t until I was close to thirty did I realize how important it was for me to find a place with walkability. To be able to leave the car on weekends and trek out to different edges of the city. Now no matter where I move, this becomes an imperative. For my mental health, for my physical health, and for my craft.

So yes, it is obvious that walking has many benefits. But it may not be as apparent how good it can be for your creative life. When you are stuck on the one scene, that one kiss, that one gigantic battle with that ogre, sometimes distracting yourself with the world outside is just what you need. You can also take your water bottle, because I am assuming you have not had enough water today.