Welcome to Walking it Out

I am someone who can’t sit still for extended periods of time. Ask my parents and they’ll be happy to tell everyone how I used to run through the house on loop - it drove them nuts. Prior to the lockdown and quarantine, I would often go hiking or to the gym to walk for about an hour or so. It helped to get out all my pent up energy.

Even while I’m working in an office, I can find ways to move around without causing too much disruption. Taking a quick walk around the office parking lot helped me cool down and collect my thoughts...especially if it was a really stressful day.

Now that I’m stuck working from home all the time, I try to take a walk at least once or twice a day (no matter the weather). It gets me out of the apartment and, though I keep my distance, gives me an opportunity to say high to the people in my area. Once the quarantine is over, I plan on petting all the dogs I pass on my walk as well.

To get ready for a walk, I quickly check the weather, grab a face mask, and select a fun music playlist to listen too. Thankfully, there are a lot of paths for me to chose from and my walk doesn’t have to be the same each time.

A view of DC on one of my walks.

One of my friends recently mentioned how they miss their commute from work as it was a nice opportunity for them to decompress from the stressful day. I suggested taking a walk in place of driving - at least around the block - after finishing work to make it appear that they were commuting home. I’ve incorporated this routine into my evenings and it’s helped a lot.

Walks not only help me relax, they also help keep me healthy. When I got for a walk, I might be gone for as little as 15 minutes to over an hour. The terrain is hilly and allows for different levels of difficulty. They get my heart rate up and keeps me active.

On days when it’s too rainy for me to go outside twice a day, I do yoga in my living room. There are some great programs to stream, but I prefer listening to my body and doing my own workout. I do miss going outside when the weather is bad, but as is said in the movie The Crow: “it cant rain all the time”.

But when the sun is out and the birds are singing, it’s wonderful taking a walk. The sun provides vitamin D and being around plants makes me happy in general (probably why I’ve started a balcony garden now that I have a balcony). Everything is so green right now and the flowers have been blooming nonstop since mid-March.

A flower I’ve found on a walk.

Often on my walks I’ll come across chalk drawings and messages - little reminders that we’re all in this together. I don’t know if the messages are one person or a group of people, but every few days there are new ones to replace the faded old ones. Hearts and hopscotch games are also common to see.

Some people have placed messages in their windows or hung from their balconies in support of doctors, nurses, and critical workers. They’re nice to see and I often find myself smiling when I spot a new one.

If you are able to, see about taking a walk. Remember to wear a face mask and sun protection. Keep your distance from other people.

And enjoy the time you have.

Stay safe everyone.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment, I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week.