Never have I been so consistent in my life. What is it for? You’ll find out.
Since July, I started walking outdoor for 2 hours every day, rain or shine. Because it is the only way that can lead me to do the thing I love. And for that, I am willing to brave the heat and cold.
Ready to find out what can possibly make me walk for 2 hours every day? Journey with me in this Twitter thread.
(Spoiler alert! Browse away if you want to find out yourself what happened in my Twitter story).
It starts at 5 pm.
On weekends, it starts at 8 am. I get dressed according to the weather, bring my essentials, and put on my mask. I’m ready to go. Most of the time I throw away my fashion senses and wear my comfortable sweatpants. “It is 2 hours of walking outdoor,” I remind myself. “We don’t want to slip or catch a cold, do we?”
The city looks different every day.
If you’re a biker or walker, you, by default, spend more time observing the city than drivers. You hear the traffic louder. You see the sky clearer. You smell restaurants food better. You feel the dampness of snow and rain on your face. You get chilled by the wind. You get two-toned, tanned legs because of the summer heat.
You get closer to the city life. You feel more alive. Never are two days the same in the city. There is always something different.
This is why I like walking. But all these reasons do not contribute to 1% why I am willingly walking outdoor for 2 hours every day.
My routine becomes part of your routine.
Getting the walk at the same time every day becomes my routine. While doing my routine, I see other people’s routines.
I cross the high level bridge at 5:20 pm. I see the same group of people running across the bridge; I meet my friend at 3/4 way of the bridge because he gets off work at 5 pm. Some days when I don’t see him, I wonder, “Did he go to work today? Is he working long hours again?”
A time for self-reflection and inquisitive thoughts.
After 50 minutes of walking, I am almost at my final destination — the place that pushes my determination and drives my motivation. Throughout the 50 minutes, I not only spend ample time reflecting about my day, but also finding inspirations from what I see on the street.
“This place is great for my next photoshoot collaboration. The fall colors and lightings are great!”
“This can be a venue where my organization (I volunteer with Women in Science, Engineering & Research, an Alberta-based non-profit) hosts the next meet and greet event!”
“What should I live-tweet about for my next assignment? Anything happening in the near future?”
These thoughts carry me away. If I were not walking outside, I would not have time to think about any of these.
At my final destination, aka my happy place.
Finally, I am here. I spent 1 hour walking here. I am spending 1 more hour here. And then I will walk 1 hour back home.
It’s my happy place: Orangetheory fitness, and I am about to start my 1-hour gym class. My happy place is challenging, exhausting, and at times stressful. But that’s what keeps me going every day.
I find joy in conquering challenges. I find peace in being competitive. This place is both physically and mentally straining, and I enjoy every second of it.
I urge you to create your routine.
Never have I been this consistent in my life. For me, I walk for 2 hours almost every day to get to the gym, because I want to, and because I can.
Do you take a walk once in a while to see find what your city offers? Do you have something that you keep doing for your own reason? I urge you to create your routine, and you shall find a new perspective on the places around you.
It’s now 8 am on Saturday. It’s snowing, and I am just getting to ready to start my 2-hour walk. The cold never bothers me anyway.
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