In an age where activities that foster health and wellbeing is becoming increasingly important, mindful walking is the latest trend people can perform virtually anywhere.
Mindful walking simply means being aware of your breath, your steps, your body and your surroundings. The goal is to get out of your head and liberate your mind of thoughts that cause stress or occupy space that could be filled with inspirational or happy thoughts.
It’s worth note that some of the greatest ideas in the world surfaced during a stroll. Researchers at Stanford show there is a correlation between walking and creativity.
Mindfulness, on the other hand, is the ability to observe what is happening in your inner; your thoughts and emotions. Thoughts and emotions often respond to the sights, sounds and sensations of your outer world.
Mindful Walking Reduces Stress
Mindfulness is the practice of being self-aware. You can use it in many aspects of your life. In the workplace, for example, mindfulness has been shown to improve employee performance and reduce stress.
When you spend most of your time in a sedentary position focusing on your work, the mind is focused on external factors. Busy office environments mean your senses are taking in information overload.
On top of that, you may also be feeling the stress of a deadline. Or maybe you’re not a people person and feel suffer from anxiety around your work colleagues.
Stressful conditions lead to brain fog and confusion. Studies have found a correlation between the amount of time spent in a sedentary position and poor mental health.
It’s important to take breaks from long periods of work. Your brain needs to rest and recuperate. Engaging in mindful walking during the course of the day can help you flick the off-switch and tune into yourself.
What is mindful walking?
Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on your inner world. You can perform mindfulness meditation for practically anything you are doing; if you are eating, focus entirely on the taste, texture and smell of your food.
Mindful walking involves taking notice of various parts of your body, how you feel, and the world around you such as sights and smells. You could call it living in the moment. Essentially, what you are doing is drawing your attention towards whatever you want to tune into.
A good place to start is with the breath. This is known as the gateway to a meditative state. By observing your breath, you will notice internal thoughts gradually start to recede.
The goal of mindful walking is to prevent intrusive thoughts from creeping into conscious awareness. When you can do that, you notice the world around you with more intensity and curiosity.
You may be drawn to the colour of a flower, the crunch of a dried leaf underfoot, the beaming bright eyes of a child, or the smell of roasted chestnuts the street vendor is cooking.
There are also long-term benefits. If you get into the habit of practising mindful walking every day, you naturally sharpen your awareness and your self-awareness.
This can be a great tool for self-development, healing emotional wounds and staving off mental illness.
In addition, you can practice mindful walking everywhere you go. And given most people walk at some point of the day you have plenty of opportunities to nurture conscious awareness.
Technology for good
Sweatcoin promotes technology for good. We have created an app that counts your steps – because we want to encourage people to walk further and, sometimes faster.
Other times, you can walk slowly – in awareness. Whether you are walking to work, engaged in a walking fitness program or decide to practise mindful walking, the sweatcoin app rewards you for your steps.
We have partnered with over 300 vendors who are willing to exchange merchandise in return for SWC (sweatcoins). Every time you walk anywhere, you top up your digital purse.
If you want to go shopping, you’ve got to go walking. So what are you waiting for? Download the sweatcoin app now and earn rewards for every step you take.
