For many, the turn of the calendar to a new year means a fresh start. A clean slate. The chance to set goals, an opportunity for better habits, and a time to reset your intentions. Whatever you call it and whatever you are hoping to achieve, sticking to resolutions can be hard. But we have a suggestion. It may sound crazy, but it’s true — walking can help. Here’s why.
Walking Gives You Clarity
In order to attain any goal, you need to have clarity around what that goal is and why you want to achieve it. The act of your feet hitting the ground stimulates blood flow, sending oxygen to your brain, which in turn gives you the ability to focus better. It also helps increase the connectivity and coordination of important brain networks, improving your cognitive function — also known as your thinking skills. This focus and function allows you to delve deeper into what’s really important. It helps you identify what you want in life, and most importantly, why you want it.
Oftentimes, we set our goals and resolutions based on what we think others expect of us, or what we think we should be doing. But walking allows us to tune in to our inner compass. The guiding force behind what brings us joy and success. So when setting that new year’s resolution, go for a walk and let your mind wander. Let it help you define what you truly want.
Walking Promotes Creativity
Now that you have walked your way to clarity, let walking feed the creativity you need to set a course for sticking to and accomplishing your resolutions. A fascinating study from Stanford University showed that a short walk can increase your creativity by up to 60% and that boost in creativity can last for several hours following that walk. So, if you’re looking for inspiration on how to break down your goals, set out for a walk. You can walk indoors or out — the location doesn’t matter — but putting your feet one in front of the other really gets the juices flowing. Soon you’ll be able to map out your steps to reach your goals. After your walk — and this is important — make sure you capture your ideas on paper so you can start acting on them immediately.
Walking Builds Confidence
Setting out on a walk — and completing that walk — gives you a sense of satisfaction, which you can carry with you when taking the steps toward your resolutions. As human beings, we are wired to crave and love accomplishment. When you start to believe in yourself that you can do hard things, and, more importantly, that you deserve the opportunity to try, your confidence will grow as you start stacking on accomplishments. Use walking to be a representation of what happens when you allow yourself to take that first step.
Walking Fosters Connection
When pursuing your goals, consider sharing them with the important people in your life. A great way to do so is to take a walk with someone. It may be in person or via phone, but walking and talking opens up lines of communication, presenting an opportunity for openness and honesty allowing you to really connect. And while you’re walking, you are not only gaining the support you may need when your goals seem out of reach, but you’ll also feel less alone and more part of a community — a bigger purpose. To know you have others cheering you on and helping you truly believe in yourself is a key factor for helping you stay on track.
So, this year, make walking a part of your steps toward fulfilling those resolutions. Let it bring you clarity, give you the creativity you need to find the right path, build your confidence, and connect with others who believe in you when it’s hard to believe in yourself. It all starts with a walk, and it leads to a better you.
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