The restorative, creativity-boosting powers of taking a walk are well-noted (here's Maira Kalman on Brain Pickings about walks, and here's some recent research reported by the APA). As a non-sporty, fairly non-competitive person, I love a good walk. And if my work is feeling stale or off, going for a walk immediately helps.
We recently moved to a new neighborhood, and it's interesting to me how quickly we find our landmarks, our visual treats on our territory. I mean the small, odd details that make us feel that a place is ours: the miniature porch swing that hangs from the branches of a neighbor's tree (I'll get a picture of this sometime!), the bay window where a black and white cat is always perched, the bricks in the street and sidewalk that seem so thoughtfully placed when we look at them closely.
Walkers of the world, unite! What's your favorite place to walk? And what activities
do you prescribe yourself when you need a creative break?
Walking may be the best all-around exercise there is, and I'm fortunate to live where walking is supported and promoted. I also have two Westies that make sure I get out regularly. But for "real" walks, I have to go without them. They like to sniff too much.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't realized what a big role my dog played in my writing until he was gone. When I was in the middle of a long project, his daily begging for an afternoon walk (rain or shine) helped me get out of the house and over creative blocks. At age thirteen, he suddenly became sick and died. My family and I missed his companionship immediately, but it took me several months to realize how much I missed his (often annoying) demands for a walk. We now have a cat, who doesn't care if I walk, so it's up to me to decide when to head out to the sidewalk. For exercise, for a fresh perspective -- there's nothing like a good walk. Thanks for the post!
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