When the year 2019 started, I decided some changes were in order. Let’s see, I decided I was going to start taking regular walks, I wound up quitting a nasty habit almost completely by accident (and without trying), made some drastic changes involving my pub trivia addiction and got a tooth pulled out of my jaw. Getting a tooth pulled wasn’t exactly a change I wanted, but it was still something that had to happen.

Fast-forward to April, and I’m still going out and taking regular walks! And on weekends, when weather permits, some real “hikes.” Today, I only did two miles, which took me about 35 minutes. Some days are better than others when it comes to goals and achieving the speed/distance you want, but it’s ALWAYS good to take a walk when things are shitty at work! Let’s talk about those reasons why, shall we?

Wearing a piece of clothing in a bright color is a good idea to make sure drivers see you while you’re out for a walk. Sweet Street in Ypsilanti, MI.

1. It’s healthier than stopping at the bar for a drink – or having a smoke. Big duh there…

2. It’s your own private time of zen.  You can play whatever tunes you like on your phone/headphones or music player without anyone complaining. Today, I got to listen to Year of the Cat by Al Stewart, which is a song I recently downloaded (it’s a childhood nostalgia thing – my mom used to play that record and it has pretty sweet piano and strings in it, and no apologies – sometimes a great “easy listening” track is a great easy listening track). The bottom line when you’re out for a walk with your tunes – YOU are the DJ! It’s good to walk with a partner from time to time, but when you’re trying to blow off steam from a shitty work day, it’s best for everyone concerned if you go out on your own!

3. Shorts weather is coming soon –  regular walks will help get those legs into shape!

4. You just might see a cool animal while out on your walk…Always be ready to take a picture – on those walks where you leave your camera at home, there WILL be an awesome photo opportunity you’ll miss. As Ferris Bueller said:

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

In some municipalities, it’s legal to keep a chicken coop…