A few months ago, I randomly joined a friend on a walk around their neighborhood.  The sun was shining.  Birds were out.  Sort of that classic perfect day vibe.

We walked through the neighborhood, talked about our week, waved at a few neighbors.  It was nice.

Later that week, I decided to go on my own walk.  Just 15 minutes or so.  Nothing big.  But I woke up before the sun and got outside.  By the time my walk was ending, the sun had started to come up and the day was beginning.

I did it the next day as well.  And I've done it every day since.

And I started to realize how much I enjoyed that time.  Sometimes I'm just in my thoughts, experiencing the neighborhood as it comes.  I'm often up before most anyone else, but it gets my blood moving and allows me time to think without any other distraction.

Other times I put on a podcast and learn while I'm walking.  It sounds silly, but that 15 minutes in the morning becomes something I look forward to every day.  I still work out regularly, spend time in the gym lifting weights.  But there's something about the quiet local simplicity of a morning walk that has been so valuable to my mindset.  Something like a morning meditation, only with movement.

I find my thoughts are clearer.  I'm more motivated by starting with movement in the day.

Give it a try.  Take 15 minutes at any point in your day (I prefer the morning) and go for a walk.  If there's a park nearby or something worth walking to, make that the end goal.  If you go early, you'll likely only see a few others up early working out or walking their dog.  If you're the social type, go a little later so you can see all your neighbors and connect. 

You'll be surprised at what it does for you.  A lot can be solved in those 15 minute walks.