Why Walking Became My Favorite Part of the Day
Almost every morning starts the same way.
I throw on a pair of leggings, lace up my On Cloud sneakers, pull my hair into a messy bun that somehow always looks exactly the same, grab my oversized water bottle that I swear I'll finish this time, and smooth on Meadow & Bark's Everyday Sun Shield before I walk out the door.
Then I walk.
I grew up in Cold Spring Harbor, tucked away at the top of a hill in the middle of the woods. Getting to my house means driving up a narrow, winding driveway that feels like something straight out of a fairytale... at least in my opinion. In some people's eyes, it's more like the opening scene of a horror movie. I prefer to think enchanted forest over haunted woods.
The moment my tires leave the main road and start winding through the trees, I feel myself slow down. It's as if the outside world stays at the bottom of the hill. By the time I reach home, my shoulders have dropped, my mind is quieter, and everything feels just a little lighter.
The trees close in around you.
The noise disappears.
Everything slows down.
Looking back, I think growing up surrounded by so much nature is probably why I've always loved walking. Some mornings I wander the hiking trails just a few minutes from my house. Other days I take the long way through my neighborhood simply because I don't feel like turning around yet. I'm usually listening to music—until I realize I'd rather hear the birds instead.
Lately, I've realized I'm not the only one.
Walking clubs are everywhere.
Across New York, Charleston, Austin, Los Angeles, London—even in small towns like mine—hundreds of people are gathering every weekend for one simple reason:
To go for a walk.
No reservations.
No cover charge.
No pressure to stay out until midnight because someone inevitably says, "Wait... just one more place."
Just people walking.
And honestly?
I kind of love that we've made this cool again.
Maybe We Were All Looking for Something Slower
For a long time, social life felt like it revolved around doing more.
More plans.
More restaurants.
More events.
More notifications reminding us that someone else was doing something we probably should've been doing too.
Somewhere along the way, it became surprisingly easy to be surrounded by people while still feeling disconnected.
We're constantly texting.
Rarely talking.
Always available.
Never really present.
Then someone says,
"Want to go for a walk?"
And somehow, that feels... different.
It is the same instinct that makes us chase the first five minutes of a hotel check-in, that feeling of arriving somewhere calmer than where you came from.
There's something about walking side by side that makes conversation easier. You're not sitting across from each other trying to maintain eye contact while wondering if there's spinach in your teeth.
You just walk.
The silences aren't awkward.
Nobody's performing.
Nobody's trying too hard.
Before you know it, you're talking about everything from childhood memories to your next vacation... and somehow also whether dogs know they're cute.
It feels refreshingly uncomplicated.
I Didn't Realize Walking Was Becoming My Favorite Ritual
If you had asked me a year ago what my favorite part of the day was, I probably would've said getting into bed.
Now?
It's my morning walk.
There's something comforting about the little routine before I leave the house.
My On Clouds.
A pair of sunglasses.
A lip balm in my pocket, because lips burn faster than anyone expects.
A playlist I'll either listen to for ten minutes or completely forget about because I get distracted by how pretty everything looks.
And Everyday Sun Shield.
It's the one product I never skip.
Even if I'm "just going for a walk."
Especially if I'm just going for a walk.
Living an active life means I'm outside almost every day, and those little moments in the sun add up. I love that Everyday Sun Shield feels more like skincare than sunscreen. It's lightweight, packed with the botanical ingredients of our PLT-9™ complex, and gives my skin a healthy, natural glow while protecting it at the same time.
It's one of those products I reach for without thinking.
Kind of like my sneakers.
The Best Conversations Happen Side by Side
When I think back on my favorite conversations, almost none of them happened sitting at a table.
They happened walking.
On hiking trails.
Exploring a new city.
Walking my dog.
Or wandering through my neighborhood with absolutely nowhere to be.
There's something about moving forward that makes conversation move forward too.
Maybe it's because you're looking ahead instead of directly at each other.
Maybe it's because nature has a way of slowing everything down.
Or maybe it's because nobody feels the need to fill every second with words.
Psychologists have actually studied this. Gentle movement has been shown to support creativity, reduce stress, and encourage more open conversation.
Honestly...
That explains a lot.
Some of my best ideas have shown up somewhere between mile one and stopping to admire a wildflower that definitely deserved my full attention.
Wellness Is Finally Becoming Social
One of my favorite things about this whole movement is that wellness isn't becoming another thing to perfect.
It's becoming something we do together.
Friends are meeting for morning walks instead of another brunch reservation.
Run clubs are introducing people who never thought they'd call themselves runners.
Beach cleanups are becoming community events.
A colleague of mine gets the same thing out on the water on a paddleboard.
Farmers markets have become Saturday traditions.
People aren't just asking,
"Where should we eat?"
They're asking,
"Want to go for a walk?"
I think that's a pretty incredible shift.
Maybe It's Not Really About Walking
I don't actually think walking clubs became popular because everyone suddenly fell in love with walking.
I think we're tired.
Not physically.
Mentally.
We're bouncing between emails, texts, group chats, Instagram, TikTok, work, calendars, podcasts, playlists, and the seventeen tabs we forgot were open.
Our brains rarely get a quiet moment.
Then you step outside.
You notice the breeze moving through the trees.
The sunlight filtering through the leaves.
The smell of the woods after it rains.
A deer crossing the trail before disappearing back into the forest.
It's amazing how quickly your nervous system remembers what slowing down feels like.
Nature Has Always Felt Like Home
Growing up surrounded by nature taught me something I didn't appreciate until I got older.
The outdoors doesn't ask anything from you.
It doesn't care what you're wearing.
It doesn't care how productive you've been.
It doesn't care if you answered your emails.
It just asks you to be there.
Fresh air.
Movement.
Birdsong instead of notifications.
Trees instead of traffic.
A trail that doesn't care how many followers you have.
It's funny.
The older I get, the more I realize the things that make me feel happiest are usually the simplest ones.
One Step at a Time
Maybe that's why walking clubs have become one of the biggest lifestyle movements of the year.
Not because we've discovered something revolutionary.
Because we've remembered something we've always needed.
A slower morning.
A better conversation.
A little sunshine on our skin.
A reason to leave our phones in our pockets.
A reminder that the best ideas rarely come while staring at a screen.
And that sometimes the best plans aren't really plans at all.
They're just a pair of sneakers, a favorite skincare ritual, a beautiful trail, and a walk that somehow ends up being exactly what you needed.
So if you've been thinking about joining a walking club—or simply taking the long way home—I hope you do.
You don't need fancy gear.
You don't need a perfectly curated morning routine.
You just need to step outside.
Who knows?
You might come home with a clearer mind, a new friend, or at the very least, 10,000 steps.
And if you're anything like me, you'll probably stop halfway through to admire the sunlight coming through the trees... and wonder how something so simple can make you feel so much like yourself.
With Love,
Nicolena Schoonmaker
Marketing Coordinator
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to join a walking club to get the benefits?
Not at all. Some of my favorite walks are the ones I take alone. Walking clubs are a wonderful way to meet people, but there's something equally special about putting your phone away, stepping outside, and letting your thoughts catch up with you.
Why do you think walking clubs have become so popular?
I don't think people are obsessed with walking.
I think people are craving connection.
We've spent so much time communicating through screens that something as simple as walking beside another person feels refreshing. There's no pressure, no agenda—just good conversation and fresh air.
Can walking really improve your mental health?
For me, absolutely.
I'm not saying a walk solves every problem, but I've never finished one feeling worse than when I started. Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery, a little sunshine, and enough quiet to hear your own thoughts again.
What's one thing you'd tell someone who's been meaning to get outside more?
Don't overcomplicate it.
You don't need the perfect workout set, a fitness tracker, or a five-mile route planned out. Just put on a pair of sneakers, step outside, and start walking. The hardest part is usually opening the front door.