This text was finalized while listening to this music.
Think about the most important decisions you have made in your life. The ones that really shifted something. In my experience, for most of them, there was a conversation involved. Not a casual one. A real one.
What are the specific conditions that make a truly honest conversation possible?
They don’t happen just anywhere. They don’t happen at your desk, under the fluorescent light, between back-to-back meetings. They don’t happen when you are performing, when you are being evaluated, or when you are in a hurry to get somewhere. They happen when you slow down enough to actually be present.
I have had the privilege of walking alongside hundreds of people over the years. And one of the things that never ceases to amaze me is the moment — somewhere along the third or fourth day of a program — when the conversations shift. The polished answers give way to something more honest. People start saying what they actually think. What they actually feel. What they are actually afraid of.
And something remarkable happens: the person talking starts to understand themselves better, in real time, just by being heard.
It sounds simple. And in some ways it is. But getting there requires the right conditions. You need to feel safe enough to be truthful. You don’t need to rush. You need to be with people who are also committed to something real.
Day after day, step after step, the noise quiets down. You get tired in a good way. The ego relaxes. And the conversations that emerge in that space — around a dinner table, on a dirt path, with a view you’ll never forget — those conversations have a habit of staying with you for years.
I have seen people leave a Walking Mentorship program and change jobs. Change relationships. Change the way they talk to their kids. Change the way they treat themselves.
Not because anyone told them what to do — but because somewhere between the walking, the reflecting, the talking, and the listening, they finally heard themselves clearly.
If there is something in your life that you have been meaning to think through — something you have been putting off, avoiding, or carrying alone — maybe it is time to take it for a walk.
In the meantime, keep walking with us,
changing the world one step at a time, one person at a time.
Until our next newsletter,
Nuno Santos Fernandes
Partner, Walking Mentorship
* The image at the top was taken at the southwest coast of Portugal…the perfect place to take your best ideas for a walk.
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
[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 April] Start here
🔹 Kumano Kodo – Japan
[10 October- 17 October] Start here
[24 October- 31 October] Start here
🔹 Year-end (Alumni only) 2026 – Morocco
[9 December-13 December] Start here
What have we been doing?
April has been a beautiful month for us. We started in Croatia, where we are preparing a very special program that will take place at the end of September. We truly believe it will become a must-have experience within our portfolio of Slow Down programs.
April also took us on an immersive journey on the Camino de Berobreo, on the coast of Galicia, Spain. What a beautiful week we shared there, full of connection, nature, reflection, and meaningful conversations.
Another highlight of the month was recording the 50th episode of our podcast; it has been five years since our first episode. Last month, we had the pleasure of interviewing Joe Pine, one of the great references in transformational travel and the experience economy. We believe you are going to enjoy that conversation very much. Start here.
And beyond the walks and the travels, April was also a month of quiet work behind the scenes, many hours planting seeds for everything that is coming next. Now May arrives with beautiful energy, bringing new programs, new routes, and new opportunities to keep walking together in different places around the world.
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.
