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The Surprising Benefits of Walking for Mental Clarity · Deep Thoughts

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  Speaker 2: You know, we've been talking about this idea walking and creativity,
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  Speaker 2: and it's something that I think we all kind of
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  Speaker 2: intuitively get. I think this will be a really fun
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  Speaker 2: deep dive.
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  Speaker 3: You Yeah, I think so too. I think one of
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  Speaker 3: the things that surprised me the most was that it's
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  Speaker 3: not just this fluffy idea that walking is good for you,
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  Speaker 3: but there's actually some pretty hard science to back it up, Like,
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  Speaker 3: for instance, the Stanford study found that walking can increase
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  Speaker 3: creative output by like a wopping sixty percent fifty percent, Yeah,
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  Speaker 3: sixty percent. And that's both indoors and outdoors.
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  Speaker 2: Really, so it doesn't even have to be like, doesn't
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  Speaker 2: have to.
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  Speaker 3: Be in nature. Oh interesting, Yeah, it's just the act
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  Speaker 3: of walking itself seems to have some kind of effect.
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  Speaker 2: But okay, so sixty percent, that's a huge number.
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  Speaker 3: It is a huge number.
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  Speaker 2: But why, Like, what's actually happening in our brains when
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  Speaker 2: we walk that could lead to such a jump in creativity.
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  Speaker 3: So there are a couple of things at the research
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  Speaker 3: points too, Okay. One is that walking increases blood flow
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  Speaker 3: to the brain. Okay, and when that happens, it also
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  Speaker 3: helps trigger the release of something called bad NF, which
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  Speaker 3: is great brain derived neurotrophic factor. But basically what it
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  Speaker 3: is is it's this protein that's essential for growth and
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  Speaker 3: health of our brain cells.
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  Speaker 2: So more BDNF essentially is like more fertile ground for having.
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  Speaker 3: These Yeah, think of BDNF as like fertilizer for your neurons.
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  Speaker 3: It helps them connect and communicate more effectively. Which is
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  Speaker 3: really important for creative thinking.
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  Speaker 2: So that's BDNF.
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  Speaker 3: That's BDNF.
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  Speaker 2: What is there anything else going on?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, there's also it seems to activate our brain's default
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  Speaker 3: mode network, or the DMN.
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  Speaker 2: DMN.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, and you know that feeling when you're just kind
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  Speaker 3: of like lost in thought, day dreaming, letting your mind wander. Yeah,
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  Speaker 3: for sure, that's the DMN at work.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, So is that link to creativity because this see's
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  Speaker 2: kind of counterintuitive.
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  Speaker 3: It does, but I think when you think about it,
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  Speaker 3: it makes sense because when you're not focused on a
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  Speaker 3: specific task, your mind is free to just make these
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  Speaker 3: connections that you might not have made otherwise.
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  Speaker 2: So it's like that downtime is actually really important. It
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  Speaker 2: is really for making those creative breakthroughs.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah. The DMN is where we process emotions, we reflect
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  Speaker 3: on experiences, we kind of make these surprising leaps of
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  Speaker 3: insight lead to creative breakthroughs. So walking seems to kind
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  Speaker 3: of prime our brains for this kind of open ended
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  Speaker 3: associate of thinking.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, so I'm thinking about all the famous walkers throughout history, right,
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  Speaker 2: Like you know Aristotle who actually conducted his discussions with
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  Speaker 2: his students while they were walking, and they formed what
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  Speaker 2: was called the Peripatetic School.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: The walking school literally means walking school. Yeah. And then
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  Speaker 2: you have like Charles Dickens, who was said to walk
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  Speaker 2: an average of thirty miles a day, like just pounding
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  Speaker 2: the pavement. And I mean that makes you think, right,
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  Speaker 2: like was he just exercising or was he also using
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  Speaker 2: that time to really kind of work through his novels
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  Speaker 2: and his characters.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean it makes you wonder if those walks
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  Speaker 3: weren't just exercise for him, but also like a way
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  Speaker 3: to work through those complex narratives.
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  Speaker 2: Like it provided the space for him to just kind
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  Speaker 2: of let those stories unfold to his mind.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah.
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  Speaker 3: And then you have someone like and a more recent time,
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  Speaker 3: Steve Jobs, who was a big advocate for walking meetings meetings. Yeah,
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  Speaker 3: I mean he seemed to understand that movement led to
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  Speaker 3: more dynamic thinking.
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  Speaker 2: It's interesting how all these people across different fields and
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  Speaker 2: different eras kind of converged on this idea. Yeah, walking
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  Speaker 2: as a way to stimulate their thinking. You know. But
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  Speaker 2: I think for us, the questions like what can we
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  Speaker 2: take from this, right, Like what can we learn and
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  Speaker 2: how can we apply it?
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  Speaker 3: One of the sources. You sent the article from Entrepreneur. Okay,
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  Speaker 3: the author Tracy Tilson created this whole platform called.
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  Speaker 2: Walkie Tape Walkie Taite. I love that Yeah, so catchy.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, And it's entirely built around this concept of using
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  Speaker 3: walking to unlock your creative potential.
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  Speaker 2: So this is like taking that ancient practice and making
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  Speaker 2: it relevant for today. Absolutely, that's so interesting, and it
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  Speaker 2: makes you wonder if something as simple as walking can
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  Speaker 2: have such a huge impact on our creativity, Like, what
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  Speaker 2: other hidden potential are we overlooking in our everyday lives.
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  Speaker 3: I think that's a really powerful ques question. Yeah, I
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  Speaker 3: mean it really challenges us to look at our routines,
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  Speaker 3: our habits and see, like, Okay, are there little tweaks
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  Speaker 3: we can make that make a big difference.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, it's like we're rediscovering the power of our own
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  Speaker 2: bodies and minds for sure, to generate that creative energy.
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  Speaker 2: But before we go too far down that road, I
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  Speaker 2: think we need to talk about how walking actually benefits
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  Speaker 2: our brains, okay, and our well being, because it's clearly
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  Speaker 2: more than just a way to get from point A
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  Speaker 2: to point B.
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  Speaker 3: Absolutely, I mean the implications go way beyond generating ideas.
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  Speaker 3: It's really about our overall cognitive function, our mood, our
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  Speaker 3: ability to handle stress and anxiety.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, that is what I'm talking about, So let's get
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  Speaker 2: into that a little bit more. Why is walking so
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  Speaker 2: good for us mentally and emotionally?
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  Speaker 3: Well, I think first we have to go back to
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  Speaker 3: the physiological effects. Remember those mood boosting neurotransmitters we were
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  Speaker 3: talking about, like serotonin and doing.
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  Speaker 2: Those are the ones that make you feel happy, Yeah, make.
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  Speaker 3: You feel good, relaxed, and walking actually triggers their release. Interesting,
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  Speaker 3: so it acts like a natural mood elevator.
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  Speaker 2: So it's like a natural antidepressant, but without the side effects.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah in a way. Yeah, But it's also more than
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  Speaker 3: just the chemical changes. Walking also lets us physically remove
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  Speaker 3: ourselves from stressful environment. I totally get that, which can
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  Speaker 3: be incredibly beneficial.
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  Speaker 2: Like sometimes when I'm feeling overwhelmed or anxious, I'll just
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  Speaker 2: step away from my desk and walk around the block
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  Speaker 2: and it really makes a.
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  Speaker 3: Difference, right, And that change of scenery can be so powerful. Yeah,
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  Speaker 3: it allows you to shift your perspective, clear your head,
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  Speaker 3: and then come back to whatever you were doing with
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  Speaker 3: kind of a renewed sense of focus and calm.
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  Speaker 2: It's like a reset. It is a res button for
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  Speaker 2: your mind your body. Yeah absolutely, Okay, but what about
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  Speaker 2: people who like really struggle with racing thoughts or anxiety.
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  Speaker 2: Can walking actually help with that?
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  Speaker 3: I think so, because walking can be a form of
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  Speaker 3: moving meditation. Okay, Like the rhythmic motion of your steps
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  Speaker 3: can actually help to calm those anxious thoughts.
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  Speaker 2: It's like your feet keeping time. Yeah, rock, and it
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  Speaker 2: just creates that natural rhythm, right that kind of soothes
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  Speaker 2: your mind and body. One of the sources also mentioned
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  Speaker 2: this concept of serendipity. Oh yeah, how walking can actually
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  Speaker 2: lead to those aha moments where it's like these seemingly
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  Speaker 2: unrelated ideas suddenly connect in your mind. Have you ever
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  Speaker 2: experienced that?
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  Speaker 3: Absolutely? I think it creates those ideal conditions for those
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  Speaker 3: creative breakthroughs to happen.
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  Speaker 2: Okay.
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  Speaker 3: It's that kind of perfect balance of movement and mental freedom.
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  Speaker 2: So it's like your conscious mind is taking a break
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  Speaker 2: and letting your intuition and your creativity.
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  Speaker 3: Kind of hy break over and you're not bombarded with
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  Speaker 3: the same level of distractions as when you're at your
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  Speaker 3: desk or scrolling through your phone.
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  Speaker 2: Right, you're just kind of present in the moment.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, you have that detachment from the digital world that
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  Speaker 3: allows your mind to wander more freely, which is when
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  Speaker 3: those unexpected connections happen.
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  Speaker 2: So it's like giving your brain the space it needs, yeah,
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  Speaker 2: to actually come up with these new solutions that you
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  Speaker 2: wouldn't have thought of otherwise.
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  Speaker 1: You know.
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  Speaker 3: The research suggests that this effect is even more potent
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  Speaker 3: when we're walking in nature.
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  Speaker 2: Oh, that makes sense.
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  Speaker 3: You know, there's something about being surrounded by the natural
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  Speaker 3: world that seems to just spark our creativity open us
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  Speaker 3: up to new possibilities. One of the sources even talked
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  Speaker 3: about the Japanese practice of shinrin yoku, or forest bathing.
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  Speaker 3: I love that, which emphasizes the benefits of immersing yourself
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  Speaker 3: in nature.
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  Speaker 2: It makes sense though, right when you're surrounded by all
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  Speaker 2: this beauty and tranquility. Yeah, it's hard not to feel
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  Speaker 2: like a sense of peace and inspiration.
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  Speaker 3: You're tapping into that deeper connection with something larger than yourself.
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  Speaker 2: It's kind of awe inspiring in a way.
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  Speaker 3: Absolutely.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah. Wow, this is all really fascinating. So before we
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  Speaker 2: wrap up this first part of our deep dive, what
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  Speaker 2: would you say is the biggest takeaway from all this
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  Speaker 2: research on walking and creativity? Like, what's the one thing
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  Speaker 2: you hope our listener takes away from this conversation.
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  Speaker 3: I think the most important thing is to remember that
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  Speaker 3: walking is more more than just a physical activity. It's
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  Speaker 3: a way to really enhance your mental and emotional well being.
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  Speaker 3: It's a way to boost your creativity, reduce stress, gain
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  Speaker 3: some clarity, and reconnect with yourself in.
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  Speaker 2: The world around you.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I love that. I think our listener is going
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  Speaker 2: to be putting on their walking shoes and hitting the
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  Speaker 2: pavement with a whole new perspective after this, I hope.
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  Speaker 3: So. Yeah, you know, it's funny because we started with
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  Speaker 3: the science and now we're seeing how this ancient practice
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  Speaker 3: is being brought into like the modern world.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and you know, it really makes you think if
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  Speaker 2: walking has been this like constant source of inspiration like Solis,
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  Speaker 2: even for people throughout history, what potential are we unwalking
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  Speaker 2: every time we just step out the door and go
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  Speaker 2: for a walk. Yeah.
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  Speaker 3: It's like there's this creative wellspring inside of us that's
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  Speaker 3: just waiting to be tapped.
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  Speaker 2: Oh. I love that. You know. One thing that really
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  Speaker 2: struck me from the research was how walking doesn't just
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  Speaker 2: benefit our creativity, but it also has this incredible ability
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  Speaker 2: to re do stress and anxiety.
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  Speaker 3: Oh yeah, for sure. It goes back to those mood
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  Speaker 3: boosting neurotransmitters that we talked about earlier, like serotonin and endorphins.
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  Speaker 3: They have such a big impact on how we feel.
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  Speaker 3: You know, they can make us feel calmer, more relaxed.
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  Speaker 2: So it's like a natural form of stress management exactly.
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  Speaker 3: And you know it really makes you think, like, is
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  Speaker 3: that why so many people find walking to be so therapeutic.
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  Speaker 2: It's like moving meditation in a way, exactly.
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  Speaker 3: You get that time for introspection, to process your emotions,
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  Speaker 3: to let go of whatever might be weighing on you.
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  Speaker 2: And it's not just about the chemical changes, right, It's
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  Speaker 2: also about removing ourselves from stressful environments for sure.
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  Speaker 3: Getting that fresh air.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, that change of scenery can be so beneficial. When
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  Speaker 2: we're stuck inside all day steering at screens. Oh, I know,
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  Speaker 2: our minds can get so cluttered.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, we get overwhelmed.
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  Speaker 2: But when we step outside and immerse ourselves in nature,
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  Speaker 2: it's like hitting the reset button on our nervous system.
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  Speaker 3: Absolutely Yeah, even if you can't walk in nature, just
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  Speaker 3: getting outside and changing your visual perspective can make a
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  Speaker 3: huge difference.
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  Speaker 2: I know, even a short walk around the block for
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  Speaker 2: me sometimes, Yeah, just kind of centers me, you know
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  Speaker 2: for sure. And speaking of being present in the moment,
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  Speaker 2: you know, one of the sources talked about serendipity. Oh yeah,
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  Speaker 2: and how walking can actually lead to those aha moments
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  Speaker 2: where it's like boom, these two seemingly unrelated ideas suddenly connect.
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  Speaker 3: I love those moments.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like walking creates the perfect conditions for those
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  Speaker 2: total breakthroughs to happen.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, there's that balance between movement and mental freedom.
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  Speaker 2: So it's like our conscious mind takes a break and
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  Speaker 2: our intuition and creativity kind.
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  Speaker 3: Of step in exactly. And when you think about it,
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  Speaker 3: when we're walking, we're not being bombarded by.
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  Speaker 2: All those distractions oh my god.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah we have when we're sitting at our desks or scrolling.
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  Speaker 2: Through our phone, emails, notifications, everything, exactly.
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  Speaker 3: So there's that detachment from the digital world that just
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  Speaker 3: lets our minds wander more freely, and.
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  Speaker 2: That's where those connections happen.
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  Speaker 3: That's when those connections happen.
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  Speaker 2: It's like giving our brains that space. Yeah, they need
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  Speaker 2: to process information and come up with those solutions.
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  Speaker 3: And you know, like we mentioned before, this is amplified
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  Speaker 3: when we're walking in nature.
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  Speaker 2: It's like nature just sparks something in us.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, absolutely.
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  Speaker 2: This is also fascinating. So as we're wrapping up this
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  Speaker 2: deep dive into walking and creativity, what would you say
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  Speaker 2: is like the most compelling argument for incorporating more walking
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  Speaker 2: into our lives.
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  Speaker 3: I think it's the fact that there's so much evidence
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  Speaker 3: coming from so many different places. We have the scientific studies,
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  Speaker 3: we have all the historical figures who swore by walking,
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  Speaker 3: and then we have modern day examples like Walkeetate.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's all coming together.
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  Speaker 3: It really is.
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  Speaker 2: So for our listener who's been with us on this journey,
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  Speaker 2: what would you say is the most important takeaway? What's
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  Speaker 2: that one thing you want them to remember.
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  Speaker 3: I think the most important thing is to remember this
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  Speaker 3: walking is not just about physical activity, Okay, It's an
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  Speaker 3: investment in your mental and emotional well being. It's a
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  Speaker 3: way to be more creative, manage stress, and connect with
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  Speaker 3: yourself in the world around you.
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  Speaker 2: Beautifully put thank you. I think that's the perfect note
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  Speaker 2: to end on. You know, it's like we've uncovered the
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  Speaker 2: superpower that we didn't even realize we had.
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  Speaker 3: And the best part is that anyone can access it,
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  Speaker 3: you know, exactly. It doesn't require any special equipment, any
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  Speaker 3: fancy training.
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  Speaker 2: Just the willingness to move.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, just get out there and open your mind and
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  Speaker 3: be open to the possibilities. Yeah, it's a.
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  Speaker 2: Good reminder that sometimes the simplest things are the most powerful.
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  Speaker 2: It makes you wonder, like, if something as simple as
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  Speaker 2: walking can have such a big impact, what other hitter
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  Speaker 2: potential are we missing out on.
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  Speaker 3: Oh that's such a good question, you.
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  Speaker 2: Know, in our everyday lives. Yeah, what other simple practices
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  Speaker 2: could we be doing to unlock more creativity, well being,
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  Speaker 2: you know, just feeling more fulfilled.
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  Speaker 3: I think that's a great question to leave our listeners with. Yeah,
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  Speaker 3: it's a good reminder that there's always something new to discover,
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  Speaker 3: both within ourselves and in the world around us. And
• 14:01
  Speaker 3: you know, sometimes all it takes is a willingness to
• 14:04
  Speaker 3: step outside our comfort zones and see.
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  Speaker 2: What's out there.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: I love it. Well, I think we've given our listener
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  Speaker 2: plenty to think about as they lace up their walking
• 14:12
  Speaker 2: shoes and head out on their next adventure.
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  Speaker 3: I agree, keep.
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  Speaker 2: Those minds curious and those feet moving.
• 14:22
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