As the year closes, I keep thinking about something walking has taught me over and over again:
You can have two people on the same trail at the same time. They’ll never see the same thing.
That’s what has kept walking alive for me all these years.
Not the miles. Not the streaks.
The meaning.
I’ve walked the same paths again and again, yet each season, each year, each version of myself notices something different. In that way, walking didn’t just change my body. It shaped my relationships. It softened my thinking. It helped me become a better partner, a better listener, and a steadier human.
So if someone asked me what advice I’d give for starting to walk in 2026, this is where I’d start.
1. Don’t Start Walking for Exercise
Exercise creates pressure.
Pressure creates resistance.
Movement, on the other hand, creates permission.
Walking will strengthen your body. Still, if that’s the only reason you start, quitting is easy when motivation fades. Movement lasts longer when it’s tied to something deeper than discipline.
2. Ask Yourself What You’re Actually Looking For
Before you lace up your shoes, ask:
What am I needing more of right now?
What feels heavy?
What feels missing?
When I look back honestly, I didn’t start walking because I wanted to be “active.”
I started because I was tired — mentally, emotionally, spiritually.
I was looking for peace.
Peace from confusion.
Peace from noise.
Peace from carrying too much without realizing it.
Walking became the place where my thoughts settle without needing answers right away.
3. Let the Walk Meet You Where You Are
You don’t need a perfect route.
You don’t need the “right” pace.
You don’t need a goal.
You just need to show up as you are. Let the walk do what walks do best: hold space.
Some days you’ll notice birds.
Some days you’ll notice grief.
Some days you’ll notice nothing at all — and that counts too.
4. Trust That the Benefits Will Show Up Quietly
Walking doesn’t announce its impact.
It shows up later — in how you respond instead of react.
In how conversations soften.
In how clarity arrives without force.
That’s how it changed my relationships.
That’s how it changed me.
A Closing Thought for 2026
If you’re thinking about starting to walk in the new year, don’t ask:
“How far should I go?”
Ask:
“What am I hoping to feel more of?”
Let walking meet that need.
Because the trail doesn’t need you to be different.
It just needs you to arrive.
And no matter how many times you walk it —
you’ll never see the same thing twice.
Reflection Prompt
What are you hoping to feel more of as you walk into the new year?
If this reflection resonated with you, follow Sweet N Social. You will find more stories on creativity, confidence, and finding your rhythm in everyday moments.
If you want the audio version of these insights, join me on Confident Strides: The Podcast. It’s a place where every story becomes a moment in motion.
By Tonia Tyler | #ConfidentStrides | Sweet N Social
Sweet N Social 
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