Does your daily walk around those same paths or streets get boring? It doesn’t have to be that way! Here are some ways to spice things up and make walking more interesting.
Walk with a friend or join a walking club. A friend of mine does this and it really works! Not only does it give her people to socialize with, it’s motivating. Members of the group motivate each other and hold each other accountable, so “I think I’ll skip today” or “it’s cold out today” doesn’t cut it. This is peer pressure put to good use. So find a group near you by searching Google for “walking groups near me”.
Listen to music or an interesting story while you walk. Invest in a good pair of headphones and pretend you’re at a concert! This is what I do most often. I have all my favorite music downloaded on my phone and use walking time to enjoy it. A fast-tempo song list helps me keep my pace as well. Other times, I download an interesting book onto my phone and enjoy being read to. If I keep the book only for walking time, that’s motivation to get out there!
Make walking more interesting by turning it into a treasure hunt. For example, count the number of red cars, or how many birds you see. What you choose doesn’t matter – the idea is to have something to focus on. For example, I love doing collages, so on my walks I often look for little things like leaves or twigs that would be interesting to incorporate into my artwork.
Use the camera on your phone and photograph things as you walk. You don’t have to be a genius photographer. Phones do most of the work for you. The idea is to really look at things. What interests you? Trees, flowers, squirrels, clouds in the sky? Decide on something you see often, but probably take for granted. I once picked on doors, walls and windows! Sure, this kind of activity will break up your walking, but hey, you’re not running a marathon. The point is to enjoy being outdoors and active. And it may even introduce you to a new hobby!
A new location makes walking more interesting. Is there a park, a walking path, or neighborhood that you’ve admired? Even if it’s a short drive, it’s often worth it, just for the enjoyment you’ll get during your walk. Some cities have walking or biking paths that are miles and miles long – too much for one walk, but what a mission! Start at one end, walk what you can, then pick up where you left off the next day, and so on until you have walked the entire path.
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