Why I Walk

Costa Rica Reflections: Thinking, Gratitude, and Connection

I’m a walker. A pretty serious one.

I average well over 10,000 steps a day, every day.

But aside from the physical benefits of all that walking—for a guy pushing 66—why do I walk?

Walking Helps Me Think

I do my serious walking in the morning. Lately I’ve added shorter afternoon walks, but the walking that matters happens in the AM.

I also meditate regularly, almost always right after I walk.

And I’ve noticed something peculiar. Even though I think of walking as meditative, it’s meditative in a way that’s almost the opposite of actual meditation.

In meditation, the goal is often to quiet the mind—or at least to stop chasing every thought that comes along. Walking seems to do the exact opposite. It stimulates thought, especially creative thought.

A quick search confirmed there’s real science behind this. Researchers have found that walking encourages creativity, free association, and problem-solving.

For me, it’s as reliable as daylight. When I walk, I think.

And that’s what distinguishes walking from other forms of exercise. Thinking has the potential to ignite positive change.

Walking Inspires Gratitude

I’ll walk wherever I find myself, but I particularly love walking in nature.

I’m not talking about hiking, which tends to have a destination. When I walk, I’m not trying to get anywhere. I’m just walking.

And walking in nature deepens something in me—not just an appreciation for the beauty around me, but for life itself.

Most of my walking happens here in Quebradas, Costa Rica. My usual morning route follows the river.

I also walk often in Colombia. Those walks are special too, but differently—they don’t carry the same sense of natural immersion that my Costa Rica walks do.

Even when thoughts are flowing, I stop them long enough to simply look.

The river.

The mountains.

The clouds hanging low in the morning.

The deep green that surrounds me.

In those moments, I feel a profound gratitude. I feel lucky to be alive.

We should all experience that feeling from time to time.

Walking Allows Me to Connect

I always walk with my dog, Akira. She’s my second-best friend—my wife Lily being numero uno.

She knows exactly when it’s time for our walk. You can see the anticipation in her face. And on the rare occasion I miss one, you can see the disappointment too.

But walking also connects me with people.

I often encounter the same individuals day after day, and I’ve come to believe that how I choose to interact with them can shape the course of my day.

It’s always better to approach people from a place of joy than from self-interest or self-consciousness. If I can radiate a little positivity, they might reciprocate—and that simple exchange can color the rest of my morning.

The other day I ran into Tacho, the owner of the Quebradas supermarket, out on his afternoon walk. So we walked together.

It was a genuine moment of connection—something I’d never shared with him despite stopping at his store almost every day for over a decade.

Walking is not only an opportunity to see. It’s an opportunity to be seen.

I’d rather make something positive out of that.

Why I Walk

I hope I can keep walking well into old age. And I suspect the habit itself may help make that possible.

The exercise matters. The thinking matters. The gratitude matters. The connections matter.

That, in a nutshell, is why I walk.