Take A Walk, Change Your Life

Small steps make big differences. There are a multitude of ways to be more active, but one of the simplest and most effective is to go on leisurely walks. Walking can help lower blood sugars in diabetics, manage high blood pressure, and promote weight loss. And it doesn’t take a lot—the national exercise guidelines suggest just 30 minutes of walking per day, which could be one long walk in the morning, or three 10-minute strolls after mealtimes.

Not only do walks help physically, but they also promote mental and emotional health. Benefits can include better sleep, stress relief, improvement in mood, and increased energy throughout the day.
I’ll offer three tips for walking here, but the bottom line is that with small, intentional walks, you can notice profound results across all sectors of your life.

One of the primary barriers to walking more is knowing when and where to do it. Faced with too many choices, we often end up choosing nothing at all. So my first suggestion is just try it. I know—it sounds like Nike. But I’m not talking about pushing yourself to the limit. My point is that rather than wondering what the “perfect” way to walk is, let it be low stakes. Think of it like an experiment: if it feels good, try it again, and if it doesn’t, try something new.

My favorite spot to walk in Questa is Eagle Rock Lake. I’ll go around the lake a few times and get my walking in for the day. But that might feel too far for some, or the terrain might be rough, so instead you could try walking around the Farmers Market on Sunday, or even just moving around the house for 10 minutes at a time. Be intentional, and just try it.

The next tip is to make it easy. There’s a lot of habit literature out there that supports that the easier a habit is, the more likely we are to stick with it. When you first start walking, you might feel an extra burst of motivation. Maybe you go for an hour-long walk right out of the gate. And while that’s impressive, pushing too hard can backfire. You might end up sore for days or just plain burnt out—and that can stall your momentum for weeks.
So instead, stick to something manageable and create an environment that allows you to succeed. If you walk in the morning, have your shoes and outfit ready the night before, so you just have to walk out the door. And when you finish your walk, celebrate yourself and set the stage for your walk tomorrow.

The final tip is to do it with others. Going on walks with others creates accountability and community. Whether you choose to talk or just be there as quiet support, being in the company of others creates a system where each member feels empowered to succeed. Sometimes just knowing that someone else believes in you is the nudge you need to take that first—or next—step.