See Beautiful: Walking Your Best Friend Makes It Easy

If you own a dog, chances are you go for a lot more walks than you would otherwise. It's good for the pooch - in Toby's case it keeps him out of mischief and keeps his waistline slim. But walks benefit me, too. Hitting the road with a dog makes it so much easier to See Beautiful.

Walking outside gets you out of your head. It's so easy while staring at the same four walls/rooms to get stuck. Focusing on problems and worries in a circular thought pattern is a bummer. When you walk outside inevitably you'll notice distracting, interesting, and beautiful things. The wind is chilly. The neighbors got a new car. Look at that big flock of blackbirds! Fifteen minutes later you realize your outlook is brighter and so is the world. 

I thought this was a little owl - was I surprised! It's just a gnarly knob of wood. 

Walking helps you solve problems. It's a paradox, right? When you need a creative solution to a problem, something about the rhythm and effortlessness of walking releases the mind to explore possibilities more freely. I've found so many blog post topics while walking. When I was teaching, frustrating situations unraveled beautifully when I got a new idea while walking. Meditation pros talk about "walking meditation" - being able to let thoughts go without judgement but with awareness while walking a circular path - like walking the loop that brings you right back home. 

Walking puts you in proximity to nature. Many studies have now documented the healthy effects of nature on mood and stress levels. The beauty of nature is calming on a deep, primal level. Walking the dog in a leisurely way gives the eye a chance to rest on the natural world. While your dog sniffs a lonnnnngggg peemail, it's natural to feel impatient.  Try looking instead for an unusual natural feature while you wait. It can be a bug, a flower, a twisty tree trunk. Nature is inherently beautiful if we give ourselves a chance to notice. 

Happy walking with your best friend, and happy Seeing Beautiful!

{This Moment} See Beautiful is a Blog Hop cohosted by Sugar the Golden Retriever and Dachshund Nola. Join in!