Now Reading: Thinking on Your Feet: How Walking Made Me a Philosopher
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Thinking on Your Feet: How Walking Made Me a Philosopher
Thinking on Your Feet: How Walking Made Me a Philosopher
Being a philosopher isn’t always easy. Just ask Jean-Jacques Rousseau (work banned and exiled), Hypatia of Alexandria (murdered by a mob), or Socrates (sentenced to death for corrupting the youth). Thinking critically often comes at a hefty price, especially when your critical thoughts concern people in power.
But what if I told you being a philosopher is actually a walk in the park? Not figuratively, of course, but literally—a walk in the park. Of all the philosophical things I do in life, such as reading, writing, and discussing, I would say walking is the most important one. Let me tell you why!
What a Shipwreck
A bit over a year ago now, I felt stuck in life. All my days were the same. I woke up, grabbed some coffee, opened my laptop, closed it when work was done, ate my dinner, watched some TV, and went to sleep. Days blended together, I wasn’t challenging myself, and I felt like I was going nowhere. A Stoic’s worst nightmare, and I’m sure Seneca and Epictetus would have had some stern words for me.
And as my lust for life was at an all-time low, my lust for unhealthy food was at an all-time high. This, combined with the lack of exercise, meant that instead of growing my character or expanding my wisdom, I spent a lot of time growing and expanding my weight.
It got to a point where my medium-sized clothes wouldn’t fit me anymore, and I had to buy a new wardrobe. This was the final straw. I wasn’t happy or healthy, but as a true Dutchman, I drew the line at having to spend money. Something had to change. And I didn’t know it then, but that low point in my life has brought me a lot of good things ever since.
Just like Zeno of Citium, who at his low point lost his entire fortune when his cargo ship sank and later came to appreciate that as one of the best things that had happened to him. After all, it set him on the path to becoming a famous philosopher and founder of Stoicism.
Step by Step
After doing some research on weight loss, I came to the conclusion that the solution was rather straightforward: burn more calories than you consume. So, I decided to do just that. I limited my calorie intake (read: ate less chips and pizza) and promised myself I would walk 10,000 steps each day (more than double the 4,000 I averaged back then).
And it worked. For more than a year, I walked those 10,000 steps each day and lost roughly 45 pounds (20kg). And even after getting back in shape, I did not stop walking, as I had gained a secondary—and more unexpected—benefit from my 10,000 steps.
You see, taking all those steps in a day takes time. At my walking pace, it costs me about 1.5 hours of walking to get my steps in each day. So, I set my alarm earlier (carpe diem!) and made time to walk each morning. Rain or sunshine, I went out and walked my 10,000 steps, step by step. What I didn’t anticipate was that this walk each morning would give me something very valuable: time alone with my own thoughts.
For the first time in a really long while, I wasn’t preoccupied with work, texting with friends, or scrolling TikTok. I suddenly had time alone to think and reflect—on where I was in life, where I was going, and how satisfied I was with all that (spoiler: I wasn’t). I thought a lot about who I was and what I wanted out of life during that time.
It was also around that time that I discovered the philosophy of Stoicism and, for the first time, read Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. And every day, I had time to reflect on what I learned. I didn’t just read about Stoicism; I had time to think about how that philosophy applied to me. Was I challenging myself? If I were to die tomorrow, was I going to be satisfied with how I lived today? Was I taking control of my own life?
Philosophy of Walking
It’s difficult to know how my life would have looked by now if I hadn’t started walking—and so, by accident, started thinking. But I feel very strongly that if not for those thousands of steps, I would not have found the challenge and purpose I was lacking. I would not be in control of my own life, and I would probably also have added the dreaded X to my L shirt size by now—if not a second one. I wouldn’t be living my best life here in Athens, writing blogs about philosophy.
But I did. And these days, my walks take me through the sunny hills of Athens, admittedly way more scenic than the flat and rainy Dutch routes I started with. It was here in Athens that I once changed up my walking route and ended up stumbling on the ruins of Aristotle’s lyceum. No way I was walking past there without checking it out, so I bought a ticket and walked where, centuries ago, wise philosophers walked and philosophized to their hearts’ content.
I filmed this short video while walking the Lyceum — the very ground where Aristotle and his students once debated life’s biggest questions. Take a look:
And this is not just me romanticizing. One of the information boards at the site explained that each morning Aristotle and his students would start the day by walking the lyceum’s surrounding nature while having philosophical debates. Aristotle emphasized the importance of balance in all aspects of life, including the relationship between physical health and mental well-being. Unsurprisingly, his teacher Plato also regularly noted the importance of physical exercise. This only strengthens my belief that exercising the mind and body go hand in hand.
Final Thoughts
So, is being a philosopher just a walk in the park? Well, obviously there’s more to it, but if you ask me, it’s a great start. Especially in the modern world, where everything around us is continuously fighting for our attention, it’s nice to have a moment each day to reflect on your own life.
Reading a great philosophy book (or blog cough cough) is nice and all, but the true value in these works comes from your thoughts on it—not just the words on the (web)page. So, take a walk, and take time to think. You might just be surprised by the thoughts and insights that pop up. And don’t forget to write them down, as I just did.
