National Walk Around Things Day

Some days you just don’t want to deal with certain situations, whether it’s that ladder in your way, or the co-worker who always seems to come to you with their problems. This day gives you the perfect answer to these situations, and a valid excuse to do so! This is ‘Walk around Things Day!’ and the numerous ways that statement can be interpreted gives you a lot of leeway in your celebration!

Learn about National Walk Around Things Day

National Walk Around Things Day has been created to give you a day whereby you can walk around your problems rather than deal with them head-on. Yes, we are often told that if we have any issues we should deal with them and confront them. However, there are times when we would rather simply neglect the issue and enjoy the peace instead. On this day, you are encouraged to embrace this reaction, rather than feeling like you need to get into an argument or some sort of confrontation. After all, we all deserve a bit of peace from time-to-time, don’t we?

Of course, there are people that observe National Walk Around Things Day in the literal sense. This means that they literally walk around anything that is in their way. There are also those that use this day as an exercise to get outside and get some exercise. You could decide to walk around your local park, rather than cut through it, for example. As is a case with a lot of these days, we all have the freedom to interpret them and celebrate them in any way that we see fit.

History of National Walk Around Things Day

Well, the history of walking around things – both in a physical and metaphorical sense – is something that has been around for the length of time. However, there have been people throughout history that have different perspectives on whether we should work around things and if this is ever good for our problems. We’re often told that we should stop avoiding issues and deal with the hard stuff. Nevertheless, we’re sure most of you would agree that we all deserve a break as well and that sometimes the best thing to do is simply forget your problems.

“Avoidance in terms of taking a mental break is so crucial to managing multiple responsibilities as long as it doesn’t cross over into wishful thinking”

This quote is from Bonnie Hayden Cheng, who carried out research into the management of multiple responsibilities in a busy world and why avoiding problems can be a good thing. In their study, Bonnie and Associate Professor Julie McCarthy sampled a number of university students that were juggling school, family, and work responsibilities. They focused on two distinctive avoidance strategies. One was hoping issues would simply disappear. The other was doing activities to take the mind off problems, which turned out to be the better approach. Therefore, if you have a number of things that are troubling you at the moment, you may decide that the best thing to do on this date is to throw yourself into other activities that are going to take your mind off any issues that could get you down.

After all, there is no point in honoring National Walk Around Things Day by simply sitting and worrying about things, is there? We know that this is easier said than done, which is why taking your mind off things can always help.

How to celebrate National Walk Around Things Day

There are so many options, from the light-hearted method of simply ‘walking around things’, where you may circle a Fire Hydrant a couple of times for fun on the walk to work, to the more exercise conscious method of ‘walking around the park’ you usually walk through as a short cut to and from your favorite coffee stand.

There are many days and affirmations that are about meeting your challenges head on, and those are powerful and valid tactics. This day reminds us that sometimes you have to pick your battles, and sometimes the best way to deal with a situation is by simply not dealing with it at all. You must be careful what you choose to walk around though, what you may be walking around isn’t the problem, but the path of wisdom!

Let’s start with walking around things in the literal sense, as you go about your day, rather than walking past things like poles, office chairs, cubicles, light poles, or stop signs, instead make sure you complete one full circle around each one you pass. You may find yourself having a lot longer walk to wherever you’re going, but the health benefits you’ll get, and the fun you’ll get laughing at the strange looks others give you, will more than make up for it! No one needs to know why you’re doing it, or you can let them in on the secret and spread the special magic of this day.

You can also arrange exercise events for this day. Approach your manager the day before ‘National Walk Around Things Day’, and see if they’d like to help you organize a walk around the building day for health. At some point in the day, you can arrange for groups, or the entire office, to take a walk around the block where your office is located. Getting up and moving helps everyone feel better, and there’s nothing to get the energy back up after lunch then getting out and getting a little fresh air and exercise!

Then there’s the ‘Walk around Things’ part of the day that makes one think about the challenges one chooses. Walking around things doesn’t have to be literal, you can choose to walk around a problem by choosing not to have a particular argument with someone. You may identify that all they really want is for you to agree with them, and the conversation will be over right then. You may then proceed to continue with your day as planned, having ‘walked around’ that problem.

No matter how you choose to celebrate it, National Walk Around Things Day is a great opportunity to try new ways of thinking and looking at the world. It’s a great way to change things up from your normal routine by simply walking around things that normally you’d just pass right by. Who knows what you’ll discover just around the block from your normal pathway to work, or what new solutions to problems will present themselves to you when you simply choose to walk around them? Take this wonderful concept and the lessons it teaches you forth into the world, and give them a good walking around!