Our world is so fast that it’s easy to forget to slow down and enjoy the beauty around us. Even walking at a high speed is a way to get the most out of what otherwise is the most leisurely mode of locomotion. This is more than a chance to remind ourselves to walk. It’s also an opportunity to relax and enjoy the day by choosing to walk instead.

W.T. created this holiday. W.T. Rabe created this holiday in response to the Saunter’s sworn enemy, jogging. It’s believed that it started at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA. It boasts the longest porch in the entire world at 660 feet (or 200 meters, if you use metrics). The idea behind the day was to encourage people to slow down and pay more attention to the world around them. He also served as the Grand Hotel’s press relations officer, which was a great publicity opportunity for them.

Saunter is defined as “to walk in a slow and relaxed fashion.”

Rabe’s son, Rabe, told journalists in 2002 that sauntering was, as his father would say, going from point X or Z. This means that you don’t really care about where you are going or how you get there.

According to him, jogging was a strenuous attack on the body. By making every step as painful and difficult as possible, rapidity and effort took the joy out movement. Sauntering, the art of moving freely from one place to another, was unquestionably better.

Rabe gained a large following over the years. Others began to realize that Rabe was on the right track. Although jogging may be a good idea for heart health, it is draining joy from people’s lives. What was the point of the exercise? Where was the relaxation?

Sauntering does not mean just walking the same way you would if you were going to work. It is also about the realization that you have been freed from all the burdens of the world. It is possible to walk without stress or strain, and focus on the pure joy and wonder of the exercise. It’s the antithesis to jogging, which is a painful activity that takes you out of the world. It’s more contemplative and meditative. Instead of feeling exhausted and puffed up, you can live life fully.

World Sauntering Day allows you to go out into the world with a relaxed attitude, to approach it with joy and clarity, and to enjoy the beauty of the world around and all it has to offer.

Take your time and relax today. Relax and enjoy the sights and smells as you stroll along. Do not be afraid to smile at others and do not let their desire to move fast infect you. Try to get them to slow down so you can join your happy little stroll. It will make the world a better place, and it will make you happier. World Sauntering Day allows you to let go of all the hustle and just… Saunter… through the day.

You can also celebrate World Sauntering Day by doing these other things:

DID YOU KNOW? It would take approximately 225 million years for one light-year to walk 20 minutes at the same pace as a 20-minute mile.

Take a moment to think about the following while you’re out on your gentle stroll on World Sauntering Day.

Is it a good idea to be busy? Are you really looking for a purpose in life? It’s not.

You can celebrate World Sauntering Day by slowing down or standing still for a minute. You will feel energized and may even spot things you didn’t notice before – the birds singing, flowers blooming or your love walking past you on the street.