Mindfulness could be a real walk in the park. Simply put your best foot forward…
If, like me, you’re running low after the extra demands of the summer months, you may feel reluctant to get out and about as the mistier mornings and earlier sunsets signal the start of autumn. But, perhaps, the latest movement trend will be just the ticket. From silent walking to soft hiking, walking trends are, quite literally, on the up. However, one hot topic at the summit of the social media feed is known as the ‘colour walk’.
So, what is it about this trend that continues to make waves, and how can a colour walk be beneficial to our wellbeing?
What is a colour walk?
While a typical stroll might be accompanied by distractions, from scrolling on your phone to a podcast in your ears, or double-checking a maps app for the best route, a colour walk is full of intention – think of it as a type of walking meditation. The idea is that you select a colour that feels right for you at the beginning of your walk, and then seek to notice that chosen colour when you’re on the move. For example, if you go for red, you may spot a burnt crimson leaf, a stop sign, a pebble with a reddish hue, or a letterbox.
Now, we all know walking is good for us. Not only does it improve our immune system, but it can also be good for our mental health, with a 2019 study in JAMA Psychiatry noting that physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of depression. It can even provide us with some solid shut-eye. For example, adults who walk for longer during the day sleep better at night, as evidenced in a small, observational study published in Sleep Health in 2019.
But what is it about spotting a specific colour while stretching our legs outdoors that is sparking people’s curiosity?
The benefits of a colour walk
Walking has many physical benefits, that’s undeniable, but it’s the meditative aspect of a colour walk that’s so impactful. Even while walking, we may still experience negative thought patterns or worries about the day. However, when we set an intention to focus on something specific, and, in this case, a colour, we automatically root ourselves in the present moment, coming away from the inner chatter. And it really is the simplicity of the here and now that contains the magic.
Mindfulness meditation, which is any practice that involves focusing the mind to achieve a state of calm awareness, has numerous proven benefits, as noted in the medical journal Cureus in 2023, including improvements in immune, mental, and physical health. According to a meta-analysis of 45 studies, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, meditation can improve markers of stress, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol, which is our stress hormone.
Additionally, a 2023 study on mindful walking, published by Explore, noted that walking outdoors improved sleep and mood among university students. So, being mindful when walking can really add something to the usual runaround.
Taking your first steps
You know it’s good for you, but how do you get started? Before you decide to go out on your walk, you may like to wear your colour of choice as a lovely way to honour, or be present with, your mindfulness intention. Then, as you take your first steps outside, start to notice it. That colour may be striking and easy to spot (remember the red letterbox), or, sometimes, it can be more inconspicuous, requiring you to keep your eyes peeled for that handpicked hue.
As you pay more attention to your environment, you may find yourself connecting to your surroundings in a way you hadn’t previously. We can all rush around from one place to another, without giving a second thought to what’s going on around us. However, a colour walk helps us focus on something other than what’s going on inside our heads, allowing us to see the ‘same old’ in a new light.
And what’s lovely about the practice is that you can carry it out anywhere. Even in more built-up areas, things are more colourful than you first think. It’s simple, too; when you find your thoughts starting to wander, gently bring yourself back to pinpointing that colour. You may even like to say the colour in your mind as you notice it, to enhance the feeling of presence and connectedness. And for those who might struggle with sitting meditation, this practice may feel more accessible, and even fun.
Feeling blue?
Did you know that certain colours can impact our mood? Colour psychology is the study of how colours affect our behaviour and mood, such as our emotional reactions. Some of this evidence is anecdotal, however, a 2020 study published in Psychological Science found that people associate specific colours with particular emotions, including orange with joy, and pink with love.
Indeed, the colour pink seems to be popular when diving into the sea of TikTok clips on the subject, with many claiming they find the practice both grounding and uplifting, and some sharing how it helps with their commute to work or eases their anxiety.
With that in mind, a way to elevate your colour walk could be to match your colour with either how you are feeling, or how you want to feel, that day. One route allows you to accept and connect to your emotions, and the other is a means of taking control of them, almost like an affirmation of intention. With the latter, if you’re feeling down you might opt for yellow or orange, while when agitated, the calming shades of green or blue may be what the moment calls for.
Let the time of year guide your walk, too, by spotting a colour that matches the season, such as green with spring, yellow with summer, orange with autumn, and blue with winter, is also a popular social media favourite.
In my view, anything that leads us down a path to witness the beauty of the outside is a good thing, whatever the time of year, and if that enables us to see the world through new eyes, I’m all for it. That said, I’m off on a colour walk – on the lookout for brown, I think, for warmth and strength.
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