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It is rarely the easy option, walking is slow, impractical, a total productivity killer. And for many of us wishing to travel by foot, our surroundings range from drab to downright hostile. It can seem like a last resort. Which is all the more reason you should be doing it now.

Our car-obsessed society loathes the pedestrian. Gridlock swallows our work commutes, and our sanity. (The light’s green, asshole!) Drive for a mile and you still haven’t left your subdivision. True story: One of us here, on a recent visit home to Ohio, set out on a stroll to the local doughnut shop, came to a major crossing, and waited three full light changes. Realizing his turn was never coming, he had to Frogger it across a five-lane.

Despite the odds arrayed against you, here’s a radical proposal: Just walk.

Have some time to kill after work? Just walk. Itching to break your doom-scrolling habit? Just walk. Debating an Uber after an evening out? Just walk. (Turns out the bar was only two miles from your place. Walking distance.) Regardless of when or how you do it, walking will reward you with profound experiences, and isn’t that the best use of your time, after all?

Now, we’re all told you don’t walk enough in general, but building new habits for the sake of health and fitness can be tiresome. “Power walking” seems like a slippery slope to niche supplements, ice baths, and some fastidious regimen that requires journaling. If you happen to burn calories in the process, so be it, but pull yourself out of the mindset of a wellness guru and instead let curiosity motivate you. Walk like someone out of a Cornac McCarthy novel. Walk like a drifter. Walk with a complete disregard for time — like it’s your only option.

Once you do, you will find this is your opportunity to reconnect with nature, to chat up a stranger along the way — to truly see the world around you. That guy you always pass in the park turns out to be in a band and invites you to their next gig. Or you find you can actually smell the fall colors when you’re in them, not just peeping from behind your windshield. (Plus, bonus: Walking is totally free, regardless of the length of the trip or your destination. There are no rush-hour charges).

A good walk can also grant you the opportunity for something precious and rare — solitude. Your favorite playlist will get you moving in no time, but the best soundtrack is that of your surroundings. Pay attention. You may end up noticing, sometimes, that Times Square is actually pretty quiet — and what wonders it reveals. Or, other times, the soft drone of distant highway traffic may fit the vibe of a cemetery stroll. Yes, a cemetery stroll — try it. The pathways are infinite; they’re wonderful places to get lost. And the headstones tell so many stories, you need time alone to contemplate them.

The world is a random-number generator, and you never know what it’s going to spit out till you leave yourself open to receiving it. Park your SUV, get out there, and just walk.