5 Reasons a long walk can change your life
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Remember that feeling of endless childhood adventures, where every step held discovery?
Last month, my friend and I laced up our boots trekking 100km of Portugal's breathtaking Fisherman's Trail (a route I fell in love with during a 230km solo journey two years ago).
It was hours of sun-kissed skin, blisters, and a profound reset.
My hope? To ignite that same wanderlust in you. To inspire your next multi-day hike. Trust me, your soul will thank you. Here's why:
1. Your Subconscious: The Ultimate Idea Incubator
Ever feel like your best ideas strike in the shower?
Long walks are like that, but amplified.
Within the first hour of hitting the Fisherman's Trail, the daily grind faded.
The rhythmic sounds of the Atlantic became my soundtrack, pulling me into a delicious state of "drifting" – a relaxed, almost meditative awareness.
This isn't zoning out; it's a unique kind of focus where your conscious mind takes a backseat, allowing your subconscious to connect the dots.
Novel ideas bubble to the surface, problems untangle themselves, and decisions crystallise with surprising clarity.
Think of it: writers edit masterpieces on foot, and I bet countless businesses were born with each step.
Discovering new landscapes externally sparks incredible shifts within.
2. Wellness, Uncomplicated
Forget the endless to-do lists and conflicting advice.
Walking is a holistic wellness powerhouse, hitting all the essentials: body, mind, spirit, and even your business mojo.
Each kilometer reminds me how little I truly need to feel content and alive.
Life simplifies to one beautiful task: reaching the next destination. Shelter, fuel, and blister prevention become the priorities.
It makes you wonder: are we overcomplicating life with too many goals? With attention scattered like toddlers in a toy store?
True wellness shouldn't be a chore. It's the simple magic of:
Sunlight: Boosting your mood and vitamin D.
Movement: Igniting your metabolism, circulation, and sleep.
Nature + Movement: A potent cocktail for body, mind, and soul – the very foundation for a thriving life.
3. Active Meditation: Befriending Your Mind, One Step at a Time
Learning to loosen my grip on fleeting thoughts and future expectations through a meditative awareness has been the best investment I’ve made.
The relentless chase for the next moment, the urge to "check off" items on my list, the obsession to arrive – it takes away from the quality of each moment.
Long walks can become a wonderful meditation.
With less distraction, the mental chatter rises to the forefront. And with each step, I practice gently guiding my attention back, again and again. And again.
Arriving is relatively unimportant. It’s just another moment.
While we may hold a vision, being too obsessed with the outcome, with reaching, we miss the whole journey.
We miss the point.
In deep appreciation of the present moment and aligned with the flow of life we can give our fullest attention to everything we do.
4. Reconnecting with Our Nomadic Roots
There's a primal hum that awakens with each footfall on a long walk.
My cells seem to remember: we were nomads once.
Moving with only the essentials, relying on the land, allowing it to replenish – this was our natural rhythm for millennia.
Our sedentary lifestyle is a relatively recent phenomenon in the grand scheme of human history.
Our bodies, designed for movement, have adapted to the demands of information work, but a deep craving to return to a slower, more analog way of being is emerging.
A long walk is a powerful return to those roots, a reminder of our inherent resilience and a simple truth…
5. Remembering a Simple, Profound Truth
Witnessing spring burst to life – storks building nests against vast ocean views, spontaneous smiles exchanged with fellow travelers – a profound truth washes over me:
Our pale blue dot is still breathtakingly beautiful.
Amidst the noise and chaos, nature's inherent ability to adapt and thrive is humbling. Out there, every cell in my body remembers: we, too, are nature.
Bonus: Embracing "Tapasya"
I'll never forget a grueling 32km day under a scorching Portuguese sun.
The soft sand sapped my energy, and the heat was relentless. It was then that the yogic concept of "Tapasya" – heat, intensity, spiritual discipline – surfaced in my mind.
Tapasya isn't about self-punishment, but about building inner strength in the face of challenge.
Sweaty, sore, and sun-scorched, I had a choice: complain and wish for the finish line, or soften and surrender to the present moment, focusing only on the very next step.
Choosing surrender preserved my energy and my spirit.
It's a powerful reminder: how we approach the small challenges reflects how we approach everything in life.
The journey itself, not just the destination, holds immense value.
Priorities Sharpen
A beautiful clarity emerges on these long walks. My priorities sharpen: my loved ones, my connection with nature, the simple joy of a cold beer at the end of a long walk.
Final Thoughts
A long walk is a gift – a chance to simplify, reconnect, and remember.
If the idea is whispering to you, answer the call!
Book that trip, mark it on your calendar, and if the Fisherman's Trail is calling your name, send me a DM – I'd love to share some tips!
To our next adventure!
Jess
