What I learned from walking in the Snow?

I live in Michigan and it snows quite a lot here. Recently, I moved to an apartment less than a mile away from work. Next thing, I started walking to work about two months ago and I am loving it.

The timing of when I started this is interesting, as it happens to be at the beginning of the winter. It was just a coincidence but I also started thinking that if I can do it in the winter I can do it anytime.

The First Week was not as fun

In the first week, I was not too sure about my decision. I knew it made so much sense logically, but I would still question my decision or get anxious. You see hardly any people walking around here during this time of the year. I would think, what if someone I know sees me walking, would that person think it is weird? I was so self-conscious.

But the actual walk was fun. Even in the past, I always enjoyed stepping on fresh snow. I get the same feeling as walking on the sand. Somewhat surprising, I also enjoyed some cold air and freshness that comes with it. I enjoyed getting some exercise on my limbs early in the morning. I would always be refreshed when I reached work, ready to start the day.

Real Enjoyment came afterward

After the first week, I was not as self-conscious. I am sure, almost nobody noticed me walking and even if they did, they probably did not care. I have actually told some of my colleagues that I walk to work. Now I do not think about it anymore. Just like I did not think much about driving to work before. I just do it. If I actually think about it, I pat myself on the back to say it was a great decision.

Now I have done it for a while, I enjoy it even more. It takes me 10-15 minutes to reach work from home and vice versa. It is such a short distance. I sometimes wish that I lived further away so I could keep walking.

I am turning into a winter lover

I was never a big fan of snow. Now I have started enjoying it and somewhat liking it. I sometimes miss the snowfall and walking on the fresh snow. We had some warm days recently and all the snow on the ground melted. So this week, when I was walking, I started wishing for snowfall again. Luckily, we are still in January and I am sure there is more coming.

I also realized that I did not really dislike winter in the past, what I did not like was driving in the winter. So less driving means more enjoyable winter.

The benefits are lucrative

Here are some of the benefits I received from walking in the snow.

• I hardly get out during the winter. This is a good excuse to do that. I get 20-30 minutes of free exercise just by choosing to walk instead of driving.I get recharged and refreshed with some walking and cold temperature.
• I do not have to scrape the car and I do not have to sit inside a cold car.
• Since I live so close, I reach work in same time as if I would drive. In the winter, it might be even faster walking than driving because of not having to scrape the car.
• I do not have to sit in traffic being anxious and impatient. Since I live close to work, this would not have been a problem anyways. But that was by choice as well.
• I save money on gas and car maintenance. I have not started calculating how much, but one day I might write a blog about it.

Finally, your thoughts

Do you live in an apartment? How far do you live from work? If you drive to work, have you given thoughts to walking or biking to work? What is preventing you from doing so?

If you live in an apartment still have to commute a long distance, why do you do it?