A new study reveals that changing your focus during a brief weekly walk can lead to a significant increase in joy and a reduction in daily stress.
What is an ‘Awe Walk’?
Researchers from the University of California have found a powerful new tool for mental well-being, and it costs nothing. The study involved two groups of older adults who took a 15-minute walk each week.
One group was simply told to walk. The other group was given a special instruction: try to experience a sense of awe. They were encouraged to look at the world with fresh eyes and appreciate things that were vast, amazing, or beautiful.
The results were remarkable. The “awe walk” group reported feeling more positive, hopeful, and less distressed in their daily lives. The simple act of looking for wonder—like the intricate pattern on a leaf, a striking piece of architecture, or the vastness of the sky—seemed to shift their perspective.
This suggests that actively cultivating a sense of awe is a simple yet effective strategy to boost emotional health. It’s not about finding something spectacular, but about finding the spectacular in the ordinary.
