Clearing The Path to Fresh Ideas

Recently, sciatic nerve issues kept me from traveling far from home—not such a bad thing. Why? Because walking eases the pain, and because I’ve rediscovered a convenient, filled-with-wonder trail around a small pond near my home. These walks are a sensory delight. The tangy scent of chicory fills the air, a soft breeze tickles my skin, and whistling cardinals sing to each other.

These early morning nature walks clear my mind, leaving room for fresh ideas when I sit back down to write. Recently, a chapter in my second novel left me with a problem. A mother-daughter conversation wasn’t working. It took several quiet walks to work out what needed to be done.

How could the solution to this problem come so easily? All I’d done was meander through the trees and wildlife. Science points to some answers: in 2014, a Stanford University study found that creative output increased by 60% on average when walking compared to sitting. Those walks ranged from 5-16 minutes.

Click for a video about this study: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psu14nsw9a4

A more recent study by the University of Utah also offers compelling evidence that a walk in nature enhances problem-solving. Click this link to learn more: https://extension.usu.edu/mentalhealth/articles/nature-and-mental-health

The research for this article offered a big surprise in the form of a Scientific American article about the health benefits of walking backward, aka, retro-walking. Who knows, maybe retro-walking would help with sciatic pain—or maybe I’d bump into a bear. I hope not!

Braver souls can link here for a video on retro-walking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwapOltF5Bk

Comments welcome! What do you do to clear your mind?