What makes you fulfilled when you are alone? Do you think when you’re alone you can be fulfilled just by your presence? In a world where we are easily occupied by the internet, consume so much digital content, overloaded with work, family duties, etc., do you think we can spend time doing something that not only benefits you physically but also mentally?
This is what I call going for a walk. Maybe it can be outdoors anywhere, but I prefer in parks. A park is a place which most people underestimate. The trees, the sound of the birds, the hard work of the people, etc. We tend to go to restaurants or any food place with friends and family when we want to hang out but it never crosses our mind to go to parks. Every city has a park. The time you take to go to restaurants will be equal to the time you can go to restaurants. Walking near nature does something to your brain. I have a theory which might sound odd but it works well for me. I think the more steps I take, the better I will feel mindfully. This surely sounds stupid but why not try it. Even if it doesn’t mentally, then it surely does physically, or if you think that is still not the case, then at the end of the day, you will at least feel complete that you have achieved walking this distance today.
Escaping the Digital Noise
It is essential for us to give our brain a break to think freely. We throw so many reels and TikToks to our brain that our brain does not have time to think. We never give our brain a chance to think. Of course, this can be done if you sit without your phone or laptop for half an hour. But when I walk, I think my thoughts have more weight. They are interesting and creative. I also allow myself not to take headphones. I specifically give my brain the chance to think.
I think nature has the ability to heal. I have experienced it in real life. I was once overloaded with work. I had so much pressure on me, the assignments, the target not being achieved for my company. The daily reports. I only thought of work. Nothing else. So on weekends, I decided to go to the park. It was my unwinding moment. But after I completed my first lap, it started raining. I could see everyone trying to avoid the rain and go under shades and trees. But I decided to embrace the rain. I collected a plastic bag. I decided to keep my phone there and complete another lap. Something spectacular happened; all the worries, all the tensions were washing away with each drop of rain. And the environment, the trees, the lake in the park, I was just so happy to see and experience it. If they could talk or greet, they definitely did a smiling gesture at me telling me to enjoy the walk. Parks are not just a place; it is an experience.
It is the easiest task. But we fail to take action. It benefits you so much, but we keep ourselves on the couch to watch Netflix. If you are a busy professional, overloaded with work, trying to find a solution to your worries, go for a walk. If you’re a university student, pressured by studies, unable to manage how you can organize your subjects and which one to study first, go for a walk. Let your thoughts wander when you walk. It is not guaranteed that all your problems are going to go away, but it will definitely be a push to your life.
In the chaos of life, don’t forget to take a stroll in the park. It’s the simplest of pleasures, yet it offers boundless benefits – physically, mentally, and even spiritually.