“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
There are a significant number of benefits to taking a walk every day. No matter the length, it is the walking that is beneficial. I aim for about a mile each day but I do try to avoid snowstorms and downpours. One of the nice things about walking is that you can do it at your own pace and establish your own activity level. Almost all of us can get out regularly and walk for some distance. Even if you are in the city each day, walking can be done but it may not be as enjoyable as doing it in a suburban or rural area.
The health benefits of walking are well known to medical science. Some studies indicate that a regular walker can lower the risks of an early death by as much as 15%. The outdoor exercise can boost your immune system and help prevent some forms of illness. Those are certainly excellent outcomes for a minimum outlay of effort. A third, and possibly even more significant benefit depending on your situation, is that by walking you will burn calories and have the opportunity to lose weight safely.
There are certainly mental health benefits to regular walking. It is an obvious way to reduce stress and perhaps allow you a quiet time alone to think about ways in which to minimize those stressful situations. The different surroundings can present you with a time to clear your mind of distractions and perhaps discover a new way of looking at a problem or a task. Additionally, there are studies that have established that many people experience an increase of creativity due to walking.
Other benefits are what I call “social” and these benefits can carry over into many other areas of your life. First, by committing to walking every day (or almost every day) you begin to build a positive habit. You are creating a pathway to other benefits which in turn can improve your life in a number of ways. Another positive outcome is that if you walk the same route, or nearly the same route, you can see changes happen over time and you will see your powers of observation become sharper and more tuned to the world around you. There is the opportunity to see the spring daffodils begin to bloom, to observe wildlife of various kinds make an impact on their world, or to see the hand of man assisting others, as in the case of a beekeeper putting his hives near a farmer’s field.
Get outside and take a walk. Commit to doing it daily, or almost daily. You may be pleasantly surprised by the positive changes you notice in yourself.