Over the years I have become a regular walker. It all began when I had a dog and she needed to be walked every day. So every day I walked with her. It was a good time for me because I was getting my exercise at the same time.

Sadly my dog passed away several years ago and I never replaced her with another dog. She was special and possibly irreplaceable.

But she did leave me for with her legacy. Every day for nearly fourteen years I had walked with her. And even without her I have continued with my habit of walking.

As I said my walking was my exercise and it has become a permanent habit, something I have to do every day. Normally I walk about three miles each day – rain or shine. Fortunately I like walking in the rain.

The most important thing is that I am motivated to walk – could be early in the day, middle of the day or even after dark. It doesn’t matter when, I just have to do it. That is the power of our habits. Even after a short period of time doing any activity you then feel compelled to carry on with it.

However the most interesting and much more important thing about my walking, and it has probably always been the case, isn’t the exercise aspect. The exciting part is that I find my walks are a great thinking time for me.

I normally walk alone. I walk in my own silence. By that I mean I never have music playing in my ears. But the most important thing is I always take a notebook and pen with me.

I walk within the sounds of what is going on around, whether it is in the City or in the countryside. And before I know it there are so many thoughts and ideas popping into my mind. Solutions to things I am working on, ideas come as if by magic.

I have write them down when they occur or they will have been replaced by more thoughts in just a few minutes.

It is impossible to tell you what all these thoughts relate to but I can honestly say because I go out with the attitude that I will have positive, good, exciting thoughts then that is what I receive.

I tend to start my walks by looking at the sky, the trees, the flowers whatever is around me and just let my mind drift and see what occurs.

Interestingly we are now seeing the ‘science’ behind this process being talked about in many quarters and recently a study from Stanford University has been published on the subject. The process is being referred to in many places as purposeless or mindlessness walking. And interestingly some are saying it is a skill. Therefore it is something we can all learn.

For myself I just see it as a positive habit with very exciting power to change your life for the better.
Why not give it a try and see what it does for you?

Although the research clearly states the same effect can be achieved by walking on a treadmill and looking at a blank wall in a room, why would you want to miss out on the fresh air and being in amongst the great outside?

And by the way don’t forget the notebook and pen.

“Your Habits Control Your Life – But You Control Your Habits
You Can Take Back Control of Your Life”

Filed under: Habits