Mark Bertin's Walking Meditation for Uncertain Times

Emily Johnson · 2026-09-14

### When Uncertainty Takes Over Ever notice how uncertainty has a way of hijacking your mind? One minute you're fine, and the next, your thoughts are spinning through every worst-case scenario. You start replaying conversations, second-guessing decisions, and before you know it, you've forgotten to eat lunch or return that text from a friend. Mark Bertin gets it. He's a pediatrician and mindfulness teacher who's spent years helping people navigate the messy, unpredictable parts of life. His take? We're not broken for feeling this way. We're human. ### A Practice That Meets You Where You Are Bertin offers a guided walking meditation specifically designed for moments when life feels shaky. It's not about clearing your mind or forcing yourself into calm. It's about walking with your uncertainty instead of running from it. Here's the basic idea: - Find a quiet place where you can walk slowly for 10 to 15 minutes. - Start walking at a comfortable pace, feeling your feet connect with the ground. - When your mind wanders (and it will), notice where it went without judgment. - Gently bring your attention back to the physical sensation of walking. - If emotions come up, acknowledge them. You don't have to fix anything. Sounds simple, right? But simple doesn't mean easy. The magic happens in the returning, not in staying focused. ### Why Walking Works There's something about walking that loosens the grip of anxiety. Maybe it's the rhythm. Maybe it's the fresh air. Or maybe it's because when you're moving, you're not frozen. Bertin points out that mindfulness isn't about escaping discomfort. It's about being kind to yourself while you're in it. That's the compassion piece. Instead of beating yourself up for feeling anxious, you offer yourself the same warmth you'd give a friend. > "You are not alone in your uncertainty. Everyone who has ever lived has faced the unknown. The question is whether you meet it with kindness or with criticism." ### Bringing It Into Daily Life You don't need a fancy meditation cushion or an hour of free time. You can practice this walking meditation on your way to the mailbox, during a lunch break, or while pacing your living room at 2 a.m. The goal isn't to eliminate uncertainty. That's impossible. The goal is to change your relationship with it. To stop treating every unknown as a threat and start seeing it as part of being alive. Bertin reminds us that we're all in this together. Every person you pass on the street is dealing with something they can't control. When you practice self-compassion, you're not just helping yourself. You're building the capacity to be kinder to others too. So next time your mind starts spinning, try walking it out. Not to solve anything. Just to be with yourself, one step at a time.