5 Ways to Practice Wandering

Our host for this episode was Peter Conrad, writer, filmmaker, and teacher at Humber College in Toronto. Peter talked to the team about The Practice of Wandering, inspired by Keri Smith’s book, “The Wander Society”. He explains the importance of activities like walking and changing routines to stay motivated and maintain a healthy mindset. Here are the five ways Peter shared to practice wandering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnW7C7PivbQ&t=13s

The Practice of Wandering | WANDR Lunch & Learn

1. Solve it by Walking

Any time we have brain fog, creative block, or simply can’t move forward on a task or project, the answer is often stepping away and coming back to it later. Incorporating walking stimulates creative thinking, can clear our minds, and thus gives us a new perspective on the task at hand.

2. Document Everything

Documenting everything while wandering allows us to be more present and aware of what’s happening around us, for we end up noting things we otherwise may have missed. In documenting our wandering, we can refer back to our observations for further thought later on. Even starting a dedicated journal for your wandering can be a great way to reference back to your thoughts and experiences as you go.

3. Take Pictures

Taking pictures while wandering heightens our awareness of details around us, and develops our ability to see connections where we thought none existed before. Images can reinvigorate our visual memory, allowing us to connect to our surroundings in a different way than at first glance.

4. Vary Your Route

Changing your daily route can be a simple yet greatly significant way to enact wandering into your routine. When you take a different route than normal, you have the opportunity to experience new surroundings and really allow yourself to wander. A few ways to do this during your daily commute or activities could be getting off the bus a stop or two early, seeking out a new coffee shop to work at, or even making plans with friends who live in different areas than yours.

5. Listen for Sounds

Soundscapes can be an exceptional way to experience wandering. In listening for sounds we can explore another element of wandering without the more upfront visual components. This can also be done by recording sounds, even at different occurrences, and listening back on them. This allows us to create different cues for our memories through sound, as opposed to visual and written documentation.

Takeaway

The practice of wandering can be greatly beneficial to our minds and body. Not only does wandering help us clear our thoughts, draw inspiration or provide insight into how we experience the world, but wandering can benefit our physical health as well. Try out these 5 methods for wandering and see how they can benefit you and enhance your routine.

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