One of the more useful practices I’ve cultivated this year is treating stress like a pet dog. When I experience high stress, I imagine a dog who desperately needs to run outside to use the bathroom. It would feel cruel and irresponsible to keep them cooped up inside, and they would eventually take care of their business inside anyway. Stress is like that, too. You can alleviate it by literally going outside and making space for it. It feels relieving.

What’s surprising is how the mind responds to stressful thoughts during this practice. In my experience, when I walk outside with stressful thoughts—no distractions—I also gain clarity. I realize, for example, when paranoia is getting the best of me. I can sense that I’m preparing to thrash away at a problem as a reaction, and instead, I can more clearly assess what my other options are and what the best next step is. 

Even just a few minutes of walking outside in the fresh air creates the conditions for me to apply wisdom.