On Cosy Sci-fi and Walking
I recently started reading Becky Chambers, one of the leading voices of cozy sci-fi. As she neatly sums it up:
Cozy science-fiction can be very simply summed up as stories that tell you that the future can be good.
Although I love dystopias, I believe cozy SF has its place. Endless pessimism simply ain't healthy.
More recently, I read Way Station by Clifford #Simak. Amazing novel! Even though it was written decades ago, it's packed full of cosy SF tropes: optimism, quietness, slowness, a sense of wonder, and meaningful connections.
One detail in particular caught my attention: Enoch Wallace, the protagonist, takes daily walks. Walking is important to him. Well, it became important to me too, recently.
Motion is lotion
Three months ago, I started walking just 30 minutes a day to move a bit more. Since then, I’ve gradually increased the distance to 15,000–20,000 steps a day, split into two sessions.
It has done me a world of good. In many ways, walking is a typical “cosy” activity. It slows down time and creates space for mind wandering, it lessens anxiety, boost mood (for the whole day once you walk enough), and a thousand other benefits.
If you decide to pick up the habit, I recommend you start small and you listen your body. Don't overdo it at first, and gradually increase. Overtraining is a real thing.
To bring things full circle: if you want to delve into cozy SF yourself, I highly recommend Becky Chambers' Monk & Robot novellas duology (but most of her other books fill the bill). Here's the Wiki page dedicated to the first of them. I also recommend the aforementioned novel Way Station. Together, these three make a solid starter pack.
Image: Julia Royer (copyright 2026)