How walking every day changed my life
Image by Fas Khan
Back when I was working in my first role in magazines, a colleague invited me to join a small lunchtime walking group. At first, I was hesitant. I remember thinking: Who has time to take an hour out of the day to go walking? Not me, anyway. I was chronically overworked, team morale was at an all-time low, and (although I didn’t realise it then) I was deep in the midst of burnout.
The following morning, I reluctantly stuffed my trainers into my work bag. At 12 o’clock, I laced up my shoes, closed the door to my office, and joined a handful of other women outdoors for their lunchtime ritual. I had no idea how much this simple act of walking (just walking!) would change my life.
We’d chat about what we got up to at the weekend, what we’d had for dinner the previous night, or if any local events were coming up on the calendar. There was no unspoken rule about leaving work behind in the office, but work chat rarely cropped up. This group of kind, funny, and compassionate women of all ages and nationalities welcomed me into their walking world, and I loved it.
Over time, my burnout fog dispersed. The tears stopped, my nausea subsided, and I started sleeping better. Undoubtedly, the lunchtime walking group played a big part in that. After all, fresh air, physical activity, and friendship are all proven to improve mental health. Who knew? Haha.
These days, I walk for 30 minutes in the morning, usually alone with no podcast or music: just me, the birds, and occasional passers-by. I love that I can wake up and be out walking in under 15 minutes. You don’t have to drive anywhere, you don’t need any fancy equipment, you just open your front door and go.
And this is why I walk. I’ve come to appreciate that this humble pastime makes me healthier and happier. It does good things for my mindset and my mental health. Walking, my friends, is seriously underrated.
What about you? What’s something you enjoy doing to take care of your mental health? Share your tips below!
