Walk it

Here’s blog number 3. One of the things I do a lot is walk. I don’t usually go for walks around the block or walk on a treadmill. I try to walk more in my every day life. You have so much more to gain by walking. For example:

I pull into the walmart parking lot and instead of driving to a spot closest to the front door, I park in a spot much farther away. It’s not worth the time and effort fighting for a closer spot. Sure, sometimes there is a spot right up front you can pull right in, but it’s not always that hassle-free. I’m convinced that many times if you park right away and walk, you will get to the front door just as fast, if not faster than driving around looking for a “premium” spot. Also, walking is good for you and can relieve stress. Trying to get a closer spot can be stressful since many other people are trying to do the same thing. Another good reason to park farther away is the fact that you are less likely to get your car dented or dinged by another car. Usually, there aren’t many cars around and the only thing to look out for is a runaway cart.

It seems people are afraid to walk any distance. At an airport, sometimes there is a line at the restroom. You can either wait in line and get frustrated or walk a little bit farther and find one with no line. Who knows, during that extra walk you might come across a favorite sandwich shop or a coffee shop you didn’t know was there.

I have lots of examples of times where I walked when most people wouldn’t. I do have one story where I shouldn’t have walked.

I went to San Francisco for business four years ago. The day I arrived I developed a little cold. The location where I was working was 1.5 miles away from my hotel. I didn’t have a rental car and I planned on walking since it was right in the city. Well, I threw my backpack on and walked in the 85 degree weather up and down the streets to my work location. At lunch, I walked around for 45 minutes and ate for 15 minutes. After work, I walked back to my hotel, changed my clothes, and walked around for most of the evening. I did this every day, despite having a cold. As the week went on, I felt worse and worse. I had cold sweats, my back hurt, and felt horrible. Yada yada yada… the following Monday I was in intensive care with pneumonia, sepsis, and other issues. The moral of that story is… walk it unless you aren’t feeling well. I might have been fine walking a little bit each day but I walked several miles in the heat every day with a heavy backpack. You can over do it just like anything else. This incident didn’t keep me from walking, it just taught me to pay more attention to my health when walking long distances.

That story is an extreme case and shouldn’t keep people from walking. So, if you’re able, I suggest you walk more. You will see more things, be even healthier, less stressed, and be happier.