Ever wondered how to effectively resolve conflicts? Science suggests a simple yet profound solution: walking together. Discover how this physical activity can foster communication, empathy, and ultimately, reconciliation.
You can change how your brain works by how you move your body
We think of our brains as controlling our bodies, but the opposite is also true
- You induce the body to make certain movements or enter certain kinds of spaces, like the outdoors, or move our hands in a certain way in a gesture, and that influences the way we think
- Walking can be good for creativity, doodling helps us learn, and being out in nature can soothe stress
Physical movement spurs mental movement
When our bodies are active, repetitive thinking patterns lose some of their grip and new solutions occur to us
- People are better at resolving conflicts when they’re up and on their feet
- Literally getting up and taking a walk together helps break this impasse
Putting this insight to use
You are more likely to unstick your thinking and resolve your trickiest conflicts if you and your negotiating partner get out of your heads
- Get moving
- Going for a walk, exercising, building something, gardening, playing catch, and running have all been shown to help shift our mind out of deep ruts and at times liberate us from dysphoric rumination and other types of adverse emotional traps
