The Morning: Walk this way

September 12, 2026

Good morning. Melissa Kirsch is taking the day off. Pinch-hitting is Jancee Dunn, the host of our Well newsletter (sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox). She wants to take you for a walk.

Walk this way

By Jancee Dunn

My average daily step count so far this year is 10,975.

Fall is prime walking season: the cooling air, the changing colors. I have made a vow to take a good, substantial walk every day until hibernation season kicks in.

Sometimes I have to be creative to get myself out the door. So I’ve come up with some go-to themes for my walks. For example:

The Rage Walk. The other day, I was irked after I had been on hold with the I.R.S. for over an hour and laced up my sneakers. After I stomped around for a while, I eventually got distracted by my neighbor’s dahlias and found my anger had subsided. I make a point to take walks to savor happy feelings as well; on the recent news from my mom that her cancer is in remission, I took a peaceful, meandering morning stroll in a park near my house and listened to the birds sing.
The Melancholy Walk. Putting one foot in front of the other has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety. My daughter is headed to college next year, and I’m already glum about it. I find a nighttime stroll, looking up at the moon with Lana Del Rey in my earbuds, allows me to wallow a bit in feelings of loss, work through them a little, and maybe even see the beauty in some endings.
The Issue Walk. There’s something about perambulation that helps me work out my problems. My best friend and I have a ritual: If one of us is wrestling with some sort of dilemma, we’ll schedule a walk and hash it out. I’m in New Jersey and she’s in New York City, so we do it via earbuds. We’ll march along briskly, our walk providing a little forward momentum that makes us feel more confident and capable.

Walktivity

Sometimes I simply ask myself: Can I turn this activity into a walk? My boss and I have done our weekly check-in walking around the block outside the office. Next week I’ve scheduled a catch-up call with a former teacher who lives in another state, and I plan to do it while on the move. When I have time, I walk to the post office instead of driving.

I used to meet a friend I’ve known since the Clinton administration for regular lunch dates. After she canceled several times in a row, I (gently) asked what was up. She explained that money was tight and she just couldn’t swing eating out that much anymore.

So I proposed a walk instead. Our meandering walk-and-talks, it turns out, are much livelier than sitting in a restaurant. I’ve floated this idea to a few other friends in lieu of dates with price tags; no one has refused me yet.

It’s good for you

Walking has been shown to lower risk for many types of cancer and heart disease. Research suggests it can ease lower back pain, and also build and maintain strong bones.

And if you’re seeking connection, a walk is a low-key way to put yourself out there and meet people. I’ve found that if someone has a dog or a young child, it’s particularly easy to strike up a chat.

When I encounter a pup, I might ask, “Is your dog usually this beautifully behaved?” Inevitably, the reply will be “God, no,” followed by a tale of mayhem.

I’ve found that toddlers crave power and respect; greeting them with “sir” or “madam” and a slight bow often thrills them. Or I might ask the child’s opinion on what I should have for my next meal (chicken nuggets and pizza are the front-runners).

I love that walking is accessible for all ages. I find I can extract more information from my teenager on a long ramble, and indeed there is research suggesting communication is easier when you’re walking side by side, with little eye contact, rather than face to face.

My father is 84 and likes to drop by my place for lunch. We used to sit in the kitchen and chat after eating. Now, I try to coax him outside for a stroll.

Last week, he resisted because it was rainy, so I told him I wouldn’t divulge a delicious piece of family gossip unless we did a few laps around the block.

Dad likes to pretend that he’s above gossip, but he’s not. His mouth pursed in disapproval, he stood up, put on his cap and headed for the door.

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