Mindful walking: be present with yourself and the world around you
Mindful walking is the simple practice of walking with your attention on what you are actually doing — your breath, your body, the world around you — rather than on the endless stream of thought that usually accompanies you. It costs nothing. It requires no equipment, no special location, and no particular fitness level. The research, while still developing, consistently points to meaningful reductions in stress and anxiety, modest improvements in mood, and a gentler kind of mental reset that most of us could use more of. This post is about what mindful walking is, why it works, and how to fit it into a life that already feels full.
Reading is so good for you!
There is a particular kind of quiet that comes with reading. Not the absence of sound, exactly, but the presence of something else — a story, an idea, a voice that belongs to someone who is not you. It is one of the oldest forms of entertainment in the world, and also, it turns out, one of the most useful things you can do for your mental and emotional health.