It is common knowledge that Generation Z has emerged as a trendsetting generation. Several of these trends, ranging from ‘silent resigning’ to ‘bare minimum Mondays,’ have emerged in recent years. ‘Silent walking’ is a new phenomenon that is gaining popularity on social media. According to News.com.au, it simply means going for a walk without using phones or listening to music, podcasts, or any other technological distraction. Podcaster Mady Maio claims credit for “unintentionally starting a movement” that will “change your life.” In a TikTok video, she recalls how her spouse pushed her to go on a walk without any distractions. “No AirPods, podcasts, or music will be available.” “It’s just me, myself, and I,” she explains in the video.
Ms Maio described her first two minutes of walking as “mayhem,” until she reached a “flow state,” when “suddenly you can… hear yourself”
She added that she was extremely hesitant at first. “And at first I was like f*** no, my anxiety could never – which is probably what you’re thinking – but something within me was like let me just try it,” she said. Ms Maio described her first two minutes of walking as “mayhem,” until she reached a “flow state,” when “suddenly you can… hear yourself.” “Look, the universe and your intuition come to you through whispers, so if you’re never alone with your thoughts and you never get quiet you’re gonna miss the whispers. And those whispers are the most important to be paying attention to,” she added.
Ms Maio claimed that silent walking provided her with the “clarity” she had been seeking. She continued, “The brain fog lifted, suddenly all these ideas are flowing into me because I’m giving them space to enter. Look, if I can do it, you can do it. I promise, just try it out. … Give yourself the gift of getting quiet and listening to those whispers. I feel like when I walk in silence, my senses are on high alert. I smell everything, I hear everything, I am seeing everything, and it’s so grounding for me,” she said.
It should be mentioned that the fad was started by Arielle Lorre, a New York City influencer who also highlighted the benefits of quiet walking on her podcast in April. However, it gained popularity after Ms Maio’s reel went viral on the internet. Many people found the trend fascinating, but some found it difficult to comprehend why the younger generation finds strolling without a phone so novel. Is this true? “This is just walking… like people used to do before technology,” one user said. Another person said, “Gen Z has just discovered walking.” “What I don’t understand is how you can look at someone walking with no technology and go holy s***, what are they doing? That’s a new method. I haven’t seen this before,” a person wrote.