Take off your shoes and walk barefoot in nature. It is a time of rest that satisfies the five senses and heals the body and mind. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
Artist Daniel Driscoll lives in a coastal town in the United States. He walks along the coast for an hour every day with his dog and husband. He said, "My work is inspired by the place where we live," adding, "I feel a lot of creative energy when I walk or am in the environment where we live." He especially feels that taking a morning walk leaves him with a lot of extra time. He also said, "Walking is like yoga that connects you more with your inner thoughts."
On the 19th (local time), Euronews reported that if you want to be more creative, you should walk, introducing this case. Euronews stated, "Daniel's story connecting walking and creativity is supported by increasing research proving that walking is good not only for our body but also for our mind."
The common trait among the greatest thinkers in history was that they enjoyed walking. German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is famous for taking long solitary walks to relieve migraines. He walked up to eight hours a day, jotting down ideas in a notebook. He told people, "Sit as little as possible" and "Do not trust any thought that was not born outdoors and in free movement." The 'Nietzsche Path' in ?ze, France, is named after the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who walked daily along the sea cliffs. Before Nietzsche, Immanuel Kant consistently took a walk every day at 3 p.m. to escape the "obsession of thought," and legend has it that clocks could be set according to his schedule.
Christian Rominger, a health psychology researcher at the University of Graz in Austria who has studied the connection between walking and creative thinking, says the research is still in its early stages. In 2023, he and his team investigated the relationship between walking, emotions, and creativity and found that walking 500 steps within 5 minutes enhances creativity. Rominger said, "Generally, people who walk more were better at creative idea work," adding, "Even a short walk can help improve creative thinking." Writing coach and author Lee Schulman recommends afternoon walks or physical activity to aspiring writers she mentors. She says, "Take a walk for just 15 minutes and observe how it affects yourself, your mental health, and your work."
One of the most famous modern examples can be found in Cheryl Strayed's 2012 bestselling memoir "Wild." The book details the author's journey of walking 1,100 miles (1,770 km) on the Pacific Coast Trail to reflect on her life after her mother's death. The Camino de Santiago in France and Spain also provides evidence of the enduring appeal of long walks. Established in the 9th century, this network of trails is walked by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year. Euronews recommends ▲ installing walking apps on your phone, ▲ finding ways to walk more each day, ▲ setting alarms on your phone or computer to remind you to stand up every 30 minutes, and ▲ making friends who walk with you.
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