English Literature – Articles ☆ AFTERNOON WALK ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

🌌 AFTERNOON WALK 🌌

There is a familiar charm in the early hours of the day—streets washed in pale light, the air cool and hopeful, and the heartbeat steadying itself through a brisk morning walk. For generations, doctors, elders, and fitness guides have sung its praises. And rightly so. Yet, in the rhythm of everyday life, not everyone manages to step out at dawn. Work, family, late nights—life rearranges the best of plans. Many then turn to the evening walk, letting the twilight soothe the day’s bustle.

But tucked quietly between these two lies a delightful, often-ignored possibility—the afternoon walk.

I began experimenting with it almost by accident, and soon enough, it unfolded a charm of its own. An afternoon walk does not demand discipline; it invites you. It fits itself gently into your day—any time  after sunrise and before sunset—and carries its own bouquet of benefits. A little sunshine on the skin nudges the body to create Vitamin D, which in turn keeps bones and immunity strong. This small gift of daylight also helps regulate sleep, making the night restful and deep. And like all simple outdoor movements, it keeps the blood flowing, the breath easy, and the mind sprinkled with feel-good hormones.

But beyond biology, the afternoon walk has a unique personality. Unlike the determined pace of the early morning, this stroll often becomes leisurely, warm, and pleasantly unhurried. The city is awake by then—vendors calling out with fresh guavas, coconuts stacked like green globes, bunches of fragrant coriander swaying softly. If you happen to be in a city like Indore, there is every chance the aroma of poha, jalebi, and kachori may pull you gently off your set path. And that, too, is part of the joy.

As you move along, you may find yourself noticing things you usually miss—new eateries promising flavours, an ayurvedic massage centre promising relief, a doctor’s clinic newly opened, a roadside stall serving honest, earthy litti-chokha, or even the reconstruction of an old, familiar house. Afternoon light has a curious way of slowing the world just enough for you to see it.

What surprised me most was how refreshing this simple routine felt from the very first day. Especially in winter, when the sun seems almost affectionate, an afternoon walk becomes a gentle therapy—warming, grounding, and deeply rejuvenating.

It may not replace the morning or evening walk, but it adds something different and delightful to the day. And sometimes, that small addition is all one needs to feel a little lighter, a little brighter, and a little more connected with the world outside the door.

If you’ve never tried it, give yourself just one such walk. Chances are, your body—and your mood—will thank you before you return home.