It turns out that May is actually National Walking Month, and I am a little late in sharing about it. The idea is to celebrate the simple act of walking and all the amazing benefits it brings. From walking for well-being or doing a reverse commute to make sure you leave the house, there are plenty of ways to enjoy time on your feet.
National Walking Month
Despite how it might sound, National Walking Month is not about long distance walks or upland hikes. It is about the small things. Think walking to the local shops instead of jumping in the car, or taking the kids to school on foot. We can all fit in a walk here or there, especially when we see how we benefit from it. If you are new to walking and want to give it a go, I wrote a handy beginners guide which might help give you the nudge you need to get going.
No time? Of course you do!
One of the most commonly used excuses for not getting out for a walk is the one of not having enough time. At one time, I thought the same thing, only to soon realise that I was totally wrong. Of course we have time. If there is time to scroll through social media for thirty minutes, you can swap that for a walk. If you spend 20 minutes flicking through a magazine over morning coffee, you can swap that for a walk. We all have little drains of time, which we can swap for something which has a greater benefit to our minds and bodies – the simple act of walking.
Find your time
One of the simplest ways to get involved with National Walking Month is to find a time when you can nip out for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a long walk or at the same time every day, just a time which you know you can stick to. For me, I find an early morning and evening walk do the trick nicely. It breaks up my day and creates a separation from my work (which I do from home). It also works as an excellent time for Jit (my other half) and I to talk about work and not let it creep into our evening conversations – which for me is a total bonus.
There’s no ‘big deal’ in National Walking Month
There are no rules for National Walking Month (well, other thank going out for a walk, but that’s obvious right?) so don’t worry about making a big gesture with taking part. The simple act of going for a walk to the shops or a wander in the park is more than enough to be winner this month. So just go for it!
Pop on your shoes and head out into your local area for an adventure. You never know what will come of a little stroll – you could meet the love of your life, find a fiver, realise that walking is a fun and friendly way to get about. Whatever it might be, you won’t know until you try it.
Try 20 minutes
Living Streets, the walking charity, have suggested that a great way to get involved with National Walking Month is to #try20. This means getting out for a 20 minute walk every day. It can be to the shops, to school, a round about wander in the park or by creating a mini adventure. The choice is yours. If you need some inspiration, you can download the Go Jauntly app to find local walks.
So I challenge you to take on the challenge for May (and as you’re reading my delayed post, you actually get it easy!)
So pop on those shoes, grab your coat and let’s get walking for 20 minutes a day in celebration of the cheapest and easiest way to get active this National Walking Month.
But before you go, share what you love about walking where you live; what challenges you find to getting out walking; or what you’d like to know to help nudge you out that door of yours.