This text was finalized while listening to this music.
Returning from what felt like a triple-decker journey, a Slow Down program along the Thames in the UK, the Nature Connected Live gathering at Henley University, and finally walking the St. Olav’s Route in Norway, I have been reflecting on what the past month has taught me.
My first realization is simple: the world is an incredibly beautiful place. The more I travel, the more I feel that I can never get enough of it. There is always another landscape, another conversation, another story waiting to remind me how extraordinary this planet truly is.
At the same time, the more work I do, the more convinced I become that Walking Mentorship matters. Sometimes the principles behind it feel obvious to me because I live them every day. But they are not obvious to most people. That is precisely why this work deserves to be delivered with the greatest respect, intention, and care.
It also demands more focus than ever before. When you discover something that genuinely works, a difficult question inevitably follows: Do we scale it? Do we keep it smaller and more exclusive? Or do you find ways to make it accessible without losing its essence? These questions continue to occupy my mind.
On one hand, I feel deeply grateful that the footprint of Walking Mentorship continues to expand. We are training remarkable new walking mentors who will bring these experiences to different parts of the world, and that fills me with hope. We are now available on the West and East Coasts of the USA, Costa Rica, Germany, the UK, Belgium, Austria, Slovakia, and more to come by the end of this year.
On the other hand, I have become increasingly aware of a very fine line we must never cross. Growth should never come at the expense of integrity. The quality of the experience, the depth of the conversations, and the respect for the methodology must always come before the desire to reach more people.
Perhaps the greatest lesson that keeps resurfacing is the importance of brutal honesty.
It is one of life’s deepest schools. Brutal honesty frees us from expectations, from unnecessary complexity, from pretending, and from the stories we tell ourselves. In return, it gives us something infinitely more valuable: a lighter, more authentic, and ultimately better life.
Another reflection has become equally clear: there comes a moment when we need to be open to new cycles. That is very much where I feel we are today. Looking at the different projects we have embraced, the doors we have opened, and the seeds we have planted, I have the sense that a new chapter is beginning. New cycles ask us to remain humble enough to keep learning, because learning is what makes innovation possible.
They also remind us to respect ourselves, our bodies, our minds, our emotions, and our limits. Sustainable growth starts there. If there has ever been a moment when a program like Walking Mentorship, for individuals, teams, and organizations, is truly needed, I believe it is now.
We are living through strange times. Time itself, purpose, meaning, and even what it means to be human seem to be constantly redefined, and not always in ways that help us flourish. More than ever, we need to return to the basics. We need to return to our roots.
Those roots are found in nature.
There is nothing else in our existence that has been here long enough to accumulate the wisdom that nature carries. It has witnessed every generation before us, and it still has much to teach those who are willing to slow down enough to listen.
If we want our civilization to continue evolving in a meaningful way, we need to reconnect with nature, with ourselves, and ultimately with one another. At times, it feels as though we are playing with fire, believing we can disconnect from the very systems that gave us life.
People often say, “We need to save the planet.” Personally, I see it differently. I don’t believe the planet needs saving. The planet will continue its journey, with or without us. It is humanity that needs saving.
And that transformation cannot happen from the top down. We cannot wait for politicians, spiritual leaders, philosophers, or anyone else to tell us who we should become. The real work begins within each of us.
To reconnect with ourselves, my advice is simple: reconnect with nature. That is where we remember how to feel again. And perhaps that is the greatest challenge of our time. Not to think more. Not to consume more. Not to accelerate more but to feel again…feel more.
As July begins, I hope that we continue opening new cycles, welcoming remarkable people into this movement, planting seeds whose impact we may never fully see, and reminding ourselves of one essential truth:
The only thing we should ever be in a hurry to do… is slow down.
Before you move on with your day, let me leave you with one question:
What would change in your life if you permitted yourself to slow down, not someday, but today? right now…
Take your answer in your hands and start doing it right now.
In the meantime, keep walking with us, changing the world one step at a time, one person at a time.
Until our next newsletter,
Joao Perre Viana
Founder, Walking Mentorship
* The image at the top was taken last week at the St. Olav route in Norway…and sometimes life gives us exactly what we need at the exact time we are ready to receive it.
Ready to walk?
If you think it is about time to take yourself for a walk, we invite you to join one of our carefully designed upcoming programs. 2026 has plenty to choose from 👇
🔹 Via Francigena – Switzerland/Italy (last places)
[21 August-29 August] Start here
🔹 Camino de Berobreo with Jodi Morris – Spain
[18 September-26 September] Start here
🔹 Slow down into Synergy The Retreat Show 2026 – Croatia
[27 September-29 September] Start here
🔹 Kumano Kodo – Japan
[10 October- 17 October] Start here
[24 October- 31 October] Start here
🔹 Year-end (Alumni only) 2026 – Morocco – Marrakech + Atlas
[9 December-13 December] Start here
Seeds we planted this month
June was not only a month of meaningful walks, but it was also a month of planting seeds, plenty of them :)
Some of those seeds were planted on the banks of the Thames during our Slow Down program, where participants gave themselves permission to disconnect from the noise, reconnect with nature, and create space for new perspectives to emerge.
Others were planted at Nature Connected Live at Henley Business School, where we joined researchers, practitioners, and pioneers exploring how our relationship with nature can transform health, leadership, education, and society. It was encouraging to see Walking Mentorship contributing to a global conversation that is becoming increasingly relevant…we did our first Keynote :)
We also travelled to Norway to scout the St. Olav’s Route, a path that deeply resonated with us. Every new trail we explore is much more than a future destination; it is an invitation to create experiences that help people reconnect with themselves, others, and the world around them. We look forward to sharing this extraordinary journey with you in 2027.
Finally, we had the pleasure of recording a conversation with James Wallman (listen here), one of the world’s leading voices on the Experience Economy. It was an inspiring exchange about walking, experiences, human connection, and why, in a world obsessed with more, the experiences we create often matter far more than the things we own.
Some seeds will sprout quickly. Others may take months, or even years. But one thing is certain: every meaningful journey begins with planting something today.
That’s been our journey over these past weeks. In the meantime, you can watch the videos of previous programs on the YouTube channel here.
That’s been our journey over these past weeks. In the meantime, you can watch the videos of previous programs on the YouTube channel here.
How can we walk together?
Walking Mentorship is a labor of love that helps you gain deeper insight and equips you to create a meaningful impact on your life and those around you.
How can we work together? We keep things simple by offering Individual, Group, and Corporate programs. You can also give vouchers as gifts to the people you love. Find the best fit for you and book a call with one of our mentors.
In the meantime, keep walking with us 🚶♂️, changing the world one step at a time.
