I live in Mexico City. I walk a lot. But what I've noticed is that mostly, nobody walks for pleasure.
You see people walking their dogs, but they're not actually walking; they're just standing there waiting for the dog to pee or poop. The dog walks, the human waits.
Everyone is walking to commute. Walking to get somewhere. Walking because they have to.
Nobody just walks to walk. To take a walk. To enjoy the act of walking itself.
I work from home as a contractor doing customer support and software development. About an hour a day for my paid job. Then I have my other projects.
After finishing my paid work, I take a walk.
I walk to clear my mind. It helps reduce mental fatigue. It helps me switch contexts when working on multiple projects in a single day.
Here's the thing: I walk without headphones. No music. No podcasts. Just me and my thoughts.
It's like a meditation. Something I cannot do at home because home is also for work. Cooking, watering plants, cleaning: so many chores. Home never really feels like "off."
But when I walk, I'm truly off. Just walking and thinking.
What I've realized is that city life has made everything utilitarian. Everything has a purpose, a destination, a goal.
Walking to get somewhere. Walking the dog because the dog needs to go. Walking for exercise because you "should."
But walking for pleasure? For joy? Just because it feels good to move your body and be outside? That's been lost.
I lived in Barcelona a few years ago, and the culture is quite different. People actually walk a lot there. And not just to get somewhere; they genuinely enjoy taking walks.
Barcelona is walkable. Any part of the city. Pedestrian signs are clear and visible. Crossing streets is designed for people, not cars.
In Barcelona, pedestrians have priority. Drivers respect this.
In Mexico City, when there's a crosswalk without a traffic light, drivers almost never stop to let pedestrians cross. They act like the road belongs to them.
This isn't just about infrastructure. It's about culture.
When your city doesn't respect pedestrians, when the message is that cars are more important, when walking is seen as something you do because you can't afford a car or you have no choice—of course people won't walk for pleasure.
Walking becomes a sign of lower status. Having a car shows status. Walking means you couldn't afford better.
I actually disagree with this. The joy of walking should be appreciated by everyone.
When I walk without headphones, without distractions, I notice things. I think through problems. My mind becomes clearer.
After my walk, I return to work with fresh energy. The mental fatigue is gone. I can switch contexts easily.
My walks between sessions are what make my work sustainable.
What would happen if more people rediscovered walking for pleasure?
Better mental health. Less stress. People who are always rushing in their cars might actually slow down and appreciate what it's like to be a pedestrian. Maybe they'd drive better.
Walking for pleasure isn't exercise. It's not transportation. It's a different thing entirely.
It's giving yourself permission to just be. To move through the world without needing to be anywhere specific.
Cities have trained us out of this. But we can unlearn it.
Try it. Go for a walk without headphones. Without a destination. Just walk and notice what your mind does when it has nothing but the rhythm of your steps and the world around you.
You might rediscover something we've all forgotten.
You see people walking their dogs, but they're not actually walking; they're just standing there waiting for the dog to pee or poop. The dog walks, the human waits.
Everyone is walking to commute. Walking to get somewhere. Walking because they have to.
Nobody just walks to walk. To take a walk. To enjoy the act of walking itself.
I work from home as a contractor doing customer support and software development. About an hour a day for my paid job. Then I have my other projects.
After finishing my paid work, I take a walk.
I walk to clear my mind. It helps reduce mental fatigue. It helps me switch contexts when working on multiple projects in a single day.
Here's the thing: I walk without headphones. No music. No podcasts. Just me and my thoughts.
It's like a meditation. Something I cannot do at home because home is also for work. Cooking, watering plants, cleaning: so many chores. Home never really feels like "off."
But when I walk, I'm truly off. Just walking and thinking.
What I've realized is that city life has made everything utilitarian. Everything has a purpose, a destination, a goal.
Walking to get somewhere. Walking the dog because the dog needs to go. Walking for exercise because you "should."
But walking for pleasure? For joy? Just because it feels good to move your body and be outside? That's been lost.
I lived in Barcelona a few years ago, and the culture is quite different. People actually walk a lot there. And not just to get somewhere; they genuinely enjoy taking walks.
Barcelona is walkable. Any part of the city. Pedestrian signs are clear and visible. Crossing streets is designed for people, not cars.
In Barcelona, pedestrians have priority. Drivers respect this.
In Mexico City, when there's a crosswalk without a traffic light, drivers almost never stop to let pedestrians cross. They act like the road belongs to them.
This isn't just about infrastructure. It's about culture.
When your city doesn't respect pedestrians, when the message is that cars are more important, when walking is seen as something you do because you can't afford a car or you have no choice—of course people won't walk for pleasure.
Walking becomes a sign of lower status. Having a car shows status. Walking means you couldn't afford better.
I actually disagree with this. The joy of walking should be appreciated by everyone.
When I walk without headphones, without distractions, I notice things. I think through problems. My mind becomes clearer.
After my walk, I return to work with fresh energy. The mental fatigue is gone. I can switch contexts easily.
My walks between sessions are what make my work sustainable.
What would happen if more people rediscovered walking for pleasure?
Better mental health. Less stress. People who are always rushing in their cars might actually slow down and appreciate what it's like to be a pedestrian. Maybe they'd drive better.
Walking for pleasure isn't exercise. It's not transportation. It's a different thing entirely.
It's giving yourself permission to just be. To move through the world without needing to be anywhere specific.
Cities have trained us out of this. But we can unlearn it.
Try it. Go for a walk without headphones. Without a destination. Just walk and notice what your mind does when it has nothing but the rhythm of your steps and the world around you.
You might rediscover something we've all forgotten.