When I feel overwhelmed by responsibilities, work, or the news, I walk. I walk with friends. I listen to music that matches my mood. I chat with friends who live too far away to walk with in person.
A friend who knows I walk regularly and passionately told me about a recent TikTok trend: silent walking. Despite all the fantastic studies about walking in nature without distraction, I was not initially sure. Going for a walk and leaving my phone behind?? I couldn’t imagine it. But then I had a particularly tough day. And I couldn’t imagine talking while walking, pretending I was okay. I put on my shoes and headed out with just a key in my pocket.
I focused on my breath at first - after my breath calmed me down, I began to feel fully in the moment. I became more aware of my surroundings. The rhythm of my steps was also a soothing thing to focus on. When a stressful thought came to my mind, I pushed it away. I felt the tension leave my body as I became present in the moment, A single leaf falling, a crow cawing in a tree, and the rhythm of my steps and breath. My 30 minutes went by as quickly as I had been multi-tasking.
From that day on, I slated two weekly silent walks. I pride myself on being efficient and quickly reachable, but there is a cost to that. Technology is a fantastic aid deeply woven into our modern lives. I am grateful for it, but as a result, the noise never stops. These walks have helped me reduce stress and anxiety; I feel clearer and concentrate better on my silent walk days. I connect seemingly unrelated thoughts and develop creative solutions to my problems. When I am sad or angry, a silent walk lifts that from me.
Mind you, this isn’t just me - walking is proven to do these things. Studies have shown that walking boosts creativity - while you walk and for some time after! Not to mention that it reduces cortisol, that stress hormone we are all battling - which is why I feel that reduction in anger and hostility, tension and depression.
Silent walks offer me a break from the cacophony and chaos of everyday life. They provide an opportunity to escape the constant buzz of technology and the demands of work and family. These walks allow me to find peace and tranquility in a meaningful way. I let my mind go and just be. My inbox is always overflowing, and while I try to follow expert advice, checking emails at designated times, that doesn’t always work for me if my phone is at hand. This practice has been shown to reduce stress dramatically, and I force myself to stick to my boundaries if I leave my phone behind and go for a walk! UW School of Medicine and Public Health has also discovered that constant texts and emails disrupt focus and can lead to tasks taking longer. So, these breaks from technology not only reduce stress but increase productivity.
I still love my walks that connect me to friends near and far. I still love my walks that let me lose myself in music and sweat. But just as much, I LOVE my silent walks, which give me a mini vacation!
Silent walks may not be for everyone. But I never thought they would be for me, and they are!
Written by Lulu