Walking to Work

Keys to Happiness: Gratitude Becoming An Adult

October 25th, 2007 by Nneka -- Bookmark on del.icio.us

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This post is a part of the Season of Gratitude Series. You can participate by writing a gratitude post and telling me about it. For more details, click here.

When I moved, back in June, I wanted to be close enough to work so that I could walk. In the beginning, I diligently did so, but with the summer heat I tapered off. Six weeks ago, I got involved with a Mastermind group and committed to walking 750 miles over a year. That’s about 15 miles a week.

I set that goal so I can get in the habit of being active. I want daily activity to be a part of my routine. I don’t just want to go to the gym and pound out an hour on the treadmill. Nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to feel into my body, wake it up, feel alive and mobile.

The 3-mile round-trip work commute is doing wonders for helping me to achieve that goal. There are also some special perks that come with walking to work.

Gas Savings

In 6 weeks, I used one tank of gas (granted I was out of town one of those weeks). To put things in perspective, when I lived in the suburbs I used a tank of gas a week, sometimes in 4 days. I save close to $75/month on gas alone.

More Time

The remarkable thing is that when I drive into work, it takes me 20 minutes door to door to go 1.5 miles between getting to a parking space and walking from that space to the building door. By walking, I take 30 minutes, AND, I get some exercise in for the day.

In addition to the time saved by the dual purpose commute, a strange time warp occurred. I used to get home at 6pm, now I get home at 5:30pm. It’s not travel time that I’m saving, it’s errand time. Time that I used to take to stop into the grocery or putz around, inefficiencies time. Now, I run my errands on Saturday mornings. No more rushing to the post office in the evening, or battling hoards at the grocery. I’ve streamlined my time.

Mental Space and Clarity

Walking to work is like one big OM in the morning. Walking home, after, is like a big AH. I feel open and pure, ready to take on the day. By the end of my morning commute, blood is zinging around my body and I can feel my nerves firing off commands. On my way into work, new ideas scamper around in my mind. I’m alert and happy. Most of all, I’m open. Spirit is coursing through me.

On the way home, any crud that I picked up during the day is shaken off. On the way home, I open up again. All the residue from the day, the angst, or disappointment, or alarm, is gone.

I think this is why I feel there is so much more time. It’s like I start a second day.

Awareness

Walking around in a city, you have to pay attention. You practice being in the moment by listening for cars that come from behind, or looking at where you step so you don’t end up tripping on the sidewalk.

I am more aware of my surroundings when I walk to work. Not just the things that I have to be aware of for safety reasons, but other people walking around the city, the birds chirping in the morning, sunlight coming through the orange leaves on trees making them glow.

Today, I am grateful for my walking commute. What are you grateful for?

In Spirit,
Nneka

Entry Filed under: Personal Development, Health, Gratitude

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8 Comments Add your own

1. James - Creator Of The Ladder Of Dreams | October 25th, 2007 at 10:55 pm

Great insights,

I don’t walk to work as I work at home. But when I do get out for a jog, I do feel that pureness until my aching legs sets in. Maybe I should switch it to a walk instead of a jog for a change.

Thank You
James
2. fern | October 26th, 2007 at 11:59 am

I love walking to work! I’ve been doing it on average about 3 or 4 days a week for the past 3 and a half years. Very sadly, i won’t be doing it much longer as i will be laid off in another month.

Crossing Main Street in my little town is like taking your life in your hands as the mad commuters will do anything to get where they’re going a few minutes quicker. Once I cross, though, i’m on my quiet side street and i can’t tell you how wonderful it is to stretch one’s limbs, breathe deeply and feel a breeze on your face as you wind down from your day of work naturally. I often pick up litter as i walk home, too. Sometimes I chat with dog-walkers or other neighbors out in their yards. So much nicer than swearing at other drivers as they cut you off.
3. Rick Cockrum | October 27th, 2007 at 9:50 am

I live anywhere from 0.5 miles to 10 miles from work, depending on the day of the week. That day I’m close I walk. It’s a great time to let my mind shift gears.
4. Nneka | October 27th, 2007 at 6:09 pm

Hi James, welcome When I worked at home I would go for a walk around the neighborhood in the morning to wake me up and get the “day” started. Walking to somewhere feels different to me somehow. It feels like I have a purpose and I’m not going around in a circle.

I tried jogging, I need to work up to that. I understand the aching legs

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
5. Nneka | October 28th, 2007 at 11:00 pm

Fern, you know what they say about those doors. When one closes, another opens

Walking is indeed a great way to get to know your neighborhood. It reminds me of Mister Rogers.
6. Nneka | October 28th, 2007 at 11:01 pm

Hi Rick, I just imagine your life in Pennsylvania, walking to the theater. I’m so jealous
7. Pamir | November 4th, 2007 at 3:05 pm

I couldn’t find any stats for walking, but found this on biking as a way to lessen global warming & burning calories:

In the last census 567,042 Americans reported commuting by bike. Making a few assumptions — that these riders weigh 175 pounds, and rode 5 miles each way over flat ground, and would otherwise drive an average car — we can compute their impact. Every day this fleet saves 283,521 gallons of gas, lightening our CO2 emissions by 5.2 million pounds. Every day they save $6.5 million and burn off more than a quarter billion calories.

And if you have to drive:

According to AAA, driving with under-inflated tires can reduce your vehicle’s gas mileage by 2-3% which, over a year, could be like wasting an entire tank of gas. So, when you think about it, checking your tire pressure should be a monthly money saving, climate saving, and foreign oil saving activity. For more see The Alliance for Climate Protection
8. Richard Vereker | November 24th, 2007 at 3:22 pm

Try this as a walking meditation. AS you walk along at a unhurried pace begin by taking 5 long breaths , slowly , relaxing. Then just look and listen. Do not see only the tree , see the space around the tree , not only the jet in the sky , see the space in which everything is happening around you. Pretend you are an inanimate sound recording microphone just allowing all the sounds to be there, not commmenting or labelling anything. As the sounds manifest notice the quietness , the silence that the sounds come from. Allow the reality of the moment to be , without label or comment.