What holds you back from being the person you most want to be? What keeps you from living the life you most want to live? For members of the 99 Walks Pack, the answers echoed loudly:

You’ve found the perfect walking shoes. You’re wearing comfortable clothing that allows you to move easily. And you’ve queued up your favorite tunes to power you through your walk. You’re ready to crush your miles! But wait, have you thought about what happens when you walk out your door? Actually how to walk? We know, you’ve been doing this walking thing successfully since you were barely a toddler, but did you know there is actually a proper walking form to take into consideration to ensure safe and effective walking? Here’s what to keep in mind when you head out for your walk:

Picture it. You’re walking down the dairy aisle in the grocery store, minding your own business trying to find your favorite brand of Greek yogurt when a song comes on the loudspeaker. Instantly transported to a past moment, your toe starts tapping and you start humming along. Suddenly, your mundane task is a little more fun and you’re smiling as you work your way through your shopping list doing your one-man shopping cart jam through the store. Ah, the power of music. 

My father-in-law, or OD (Other Dad) as he would often sign off on his emails to me, has always been a walker, at least for the 24 years I’ve known him. Every time we visited my in-laws, he would lead us on walks around their neighborhood while he pushed his grandsons in a stroller, held their toddler hands, or hurried to keep up with their ever-growing feet. There was a lovely paved path through the trees that we would go explore with him and our boys, identifying different species of trees and plants, admiring the wildlife, and just chatting. It was a great way to get my energetic boys out of the house, and a chance for my father-in-law to get to know his grandsons.

Mention the words “customer service” and people generally have a lot to say. And it’s not always great. Customer service can be awfully triggering for people, and everyone has a story to tell and advice to give. And you know what? We ignored it all. Why? Because creating our own path, and doing it our own way, is what we do around here. 

Here at 99 Walks, walking is as natural as breathing. It’s what we do. How we live. What keeps us powering through and achieving our goals. What makes us feel our best and helps our spirits soar. It’s essential—a non-negotiable. It is our fuel. Day in and day out. 

Pressed for time, but still want to get in the recommended 20-30 minutes of physical activity a day? 99 Walks Pack Leader and Jetti Fitness Co-Founder, Joyce Shulman, suggests what she calls “exercise confetti,” or small bursts of exercise throughout the day. “Every minute and every mile matters, and there are tremendous benefits to adding incremental movement to your day," she says. In fact, research shows that some of the biggest benefits for health and longevity come to those who move from very little activity, or being largely sedentary, to even some moderate movement.

So what exercises can you sprinkle in when you find yourself with a few extra minutes? Here are nine ways to get your heart pumping quickly and effectively:

My parents used to live in a neighborhood that abutted a golf course. Many afternoons each week, my dad would pedal his bike out of the garage and head down the street to the edge of the development and hunt for wayward golf balls which he would drop into a little bag affixed to the handlebars. Some days, he’d return home empty handed, but other days, he would successfully scoop up two, three and sometimes four golf balls. Four was a really good day and he would return home, triumphant and sweaty from a successful day of what came to be known in the family as “golf-ball hunting.” Over time, he acquired a huge box of abandoned golf balls which he donated to a charitable organization that is meaningful to him.

It seems I’m always suggesting to my kids that they go play. Now in their pre-teens and teens, they get so caught up in their screens that hours can go by without even noticing. But I find I’m no better. There’s always something to do. A deadline to meet. A chore to tackle. An errand to run. Before I know it, I've spent my whole day “getting things done” and little time finding ways to restore my energy and spirit.

Starting practically at birth, children are engaged through play. With colorful rattles to shake, building blocks to stack and knock over, and balls to roll, bounce, catch and throw, their development comes through play. It’s a way to improve their physical, cognitive and social skills, and learn about themselves and others. It’s how they learn to communicate and build relationships. Play teaches them the fundamentals of life.

When I walk by our neighborhood park in the morning, I often see a man walking barefoot through the grass. From one side of the park to the other and back again. Slowly. Deliberately. Thoughtfully. He repeats this walk three or four times before he slides his shoes back on to make his journey back home on the sidewalks. 

After running into one another frequently and noticing our overlapping walking patterns, we stopped to chat. This man shared his South Asian culture and how walking barefoot, also known as earthing or grounding, is a way of connecting with and showing respect to the earth. He explained how the earth gives off energy and generative powers, and how the feet can connect the earth to the body.

When my husband and best friend of 32 years died of cancer in 2013, I was lost. Both introverts, we'd spent almost all our time together; he was my life. Missing him beyond belief, I needed to grieve yet I was vibrating with stress, processing his end of life and my role as his caregiver. 

As a former lawyer and generally organized person, I got through the paperwork and estate matters pretty quickly. I moved on to the deferred maintenance to our home that came with caring for a cancer patient. 

But then what?

Today, I traded my usual two-mile walk for a three-mile trail through the woods. It winds through the trees with a few moderate ups and downs. I was never more than a mile from the road – only at the farthest point was I out of range of the sound of the occasional roar of a truck barreling down the road. I walked at my own, comfortable pace, stopping occasionally to take in a distant view of the bay.

Did I jump onto the latest TikTok craze by turning my walk into a soft hike? Was I walking or hiking? More importantly, does it matter? Perhaps. If realizing that a soft hike delivers tremendous benefits and opens up the possibility of walking someplace new, in nature and off the beaten path then yep, it matters.

Why do you walk? Everyone’s reason may be different, but one thing holds steadfast—taking a walk can be life-changing. For health. For mental clarity. For happiness. 

We asked 99 Walks Pack Members why they walk and they so graciously shared their stories. Their truths. Their reasons. So, as you read through these, take note of how walking has impacted each of their lives in significant ways, and think what starting an intentional walking practice can do for you. Then, we hope you’ll join us at 99 Walks in our mission to get one million women walking their way to better.

From time to time, you may need a little pick-me-up. Words of encouragement to help you get over an obstacle you might be facing, or even just to lift your mood. Or perhaps to give you the motivation to keep moving toward your fitness goals—like a regular walking practice.

If you’re looking for some inspiration and motivation to help propel you forward, keep your body moving, and embrace the full mental and physical benefits of taking a walk, look no further. Here you’ll find nine of our favorite quotes all about the value of walking.

I remember dropping my son off for his first campout with his Boy Scout Troop when he was 11 years old. It was a cold Saturday morning in March, and the threatening rain was coloring the sky all shades of gray. There he stood, his pile of gear at his feet, as I readied myself to let him head out into the wilderness on a not-so-picturesque day for his first overnight without me or his dad by his side. It was at that moment that one of his fearless leaders saw our apprehension and proclaimed loudly, “It’s a great day for scouting!” And though I chuckled and doubted his declaration, it was one that I found myself repeating as the years progressed, through heavy rains, cold snaps, heat waves, and unruly amounts of pollen.

Whether you set out to walk for exercise or just for a change of scenery, it probably didn’t take long to notice how taking a walk can change the way you feel, both mentally and physically. In fact, you may be considering making intentional walks a regular part of your routine. Making the decision to start moving your body more is the easy part, but knowing how to get started? Well, that can be a little trickier. Here are 9 steps that may help.

You likely know someone who suffers from depression. In fact, that person may be the very same one looking back at you in the mirror. If that’s the case, know you’re not alone. The condition is not uncommon, with the World Health Organization reporting that 5% of adults are affected. And in today’s climate where we’ve retreated back to our homes and have gotten out of the habit of venturing out and exercising our social muscle, this statistic isn’t getting any lower. But, there is something that can help.

Have you ever stopped to consider what makes you happy? Like really happy? And have you set out to find that happy only to discover the grass isn’t as green as you hoped it would be? Despite our best intentions, we can easily get lost in the whirlwind of our day-to-day lives and miss the path to happiness, or even strive for the wrong things that don’t actually make us happy. 

You know the feeling. You wake up groggy, your mind full of cobwebs, and with a desire to pull the covers back over your head rather than jump out of bed with enthusiasm to start the day. We’ve all been there. We know that many—heck, most—of us are sleep deprived and running on fumes. But that doesn’t have to be your norm.

Research is showing just how beneficial walking is to help you get a good night’s sleep, and how, in turn, you can experience mental and physical benefits like a boost in your mood, improved health, lower weight, and better brain function.