A new fitness trend is sweeping across social media, encouraging people to slow down, engage with their surroundings, and boost their mental and physical wellbeing all at once. It’s called a colour walk, and it’s as simple as it sounds: a mindful walk where you focus on spotting a specific colour.
What is a Colour Walk?
A colour walk is essentially a walking meditation that combines exercise with mindfulness. Participants choose a colour at the beginning of their walk and then pay attention to spotting that colour in their environment. For instance, if the chosen colour is blue, one might notice a blue car, a patch of forget-me-nots, or a person wearing a blue jacket. This simple task encourages participants to be present in the moment and fully engage with their surroundings. Psychologist Arzoo Wadhawan explains that focusing on colours during a walk is a “creative exercise that may improve sensory sensitivity, stimulate the brain, and improve your mental health”.
The trend has gained traction on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, with people sharing their colourful journeys and inspiring others to try it. Lifestyle and wellness content creator Bridget Campbell has played a significant role in popularizing the trend by documenting her colour walks and sharing her experiences online.
The Benefits of Mindful Walking
Incorporating mindfulness into fitness activities is gaining recognition for its holistic benefits. Instead of simply “crushing it” at the gym, people are increasingly seeking workouts that also provide stress relief and mental clarity. Dr. Amanda Paluch, a kinesiologist and assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, emphasizes that “fitness and mindfulness are beneficial for our wellness, both separately and in combination”.
Mental Health Benefits
- Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Focusing on the present moment during a colour walk helps to quiet the mental chatter that often leads to stress and anxiety. Psychologist Arzoo Wadhawan notes that a colour walk “may stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system of the brain, which helps to counteract stress responses”.
- Enhances Mental Wellbeing: By encouraging presence and creativity, a colour walk can be a great activator of the brain and an enhancer of mental well-being.
- Improves Focus and Awareness: Actively noticing specific things, like colours, during a walk helps to train your awareness muscles, improving focus and concentration.
- May Boost Creativity: A colour walk can stimulate creative thinking by influencing both sides of the brain that enable imagination and artistic perception.
- Memory Retention: Looking at colours may help to increase your memory performance, as colours have the tendency to capture better attention levels.
Physical Health Benefits
- Releases Endorphins: Physical movement, especially when stress-free, releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting and pain-relieving effects.
- Supports Physical Health: Walking is a low-impact exercise that strengthens the heart, muscles, and endurance.
- Promotes Weight Management: Walking burns calories, contributing to weight management.
- Vitamin D Boost: Spending time outdoors during a colour walk provides exposure to sunlight, which helps the body produce vitamin D, essential for bone health and immune function.
- Improves Cardiovascular Fitness: Regular walking improves cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of heart disease.
Connecting with Your Surroundings
One of the most significant benefits of a colour walk is the increased connection with your environment. By focusing on a specific colour, you begin to notice details you might otherwise miss. This heightened awareness can lead to a greater appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the world around you. As teenbreathe.com.au notes, you’re likely to start noticing things you might not necessarily see on a regular walk, and over time, you might feel a greater connection to your environment and have an increased awareness of the changing seasons.
How to Take a Colour Walk
Taking a colour walk is simple and requires no special equipment. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Choose a Colour: Select a colour that resonates with you. It could be anything – red, yellow, green, blue, or even something less common like lavender or turquoise.
- Plan Your Route: Decide on a walking route. It could be in a park, a neighbourhood, or even an urban environment.
- Prepare for Your Walk: Wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Bring water to stay hydrated.
- Set Your Intention: Before you start walking, take a moment to set your intention. Focus on being present and open to noticing your chosen colour.
- Start Walking: Begin your walk and actively look for your chosen colour in your surroundings. Notice the different shades, textures, and contexts in which you find it.
- Engage Your Senses: Pay attention to other sensory details as well – the sounds, smells, and feel of the environment around you.
- Stay Present: If your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to your chosen colour and your surroundings.
- Reflect: After your walk, take a few moments to reflect on your experience. What did you notice? How did you feel?
Tips for an Enhanced Colour Walk
- Challenge Yourself: As you become more comfortable with colour walks, try increasing the challenge. For example, you could choose a less common colour, or try to find your colour in unexpected places.
- Change your perspective: Look in nature, in houses and buildings, close up, and far away.
- Keep a Journal: Write down your observations and reflections after each colour walk. This can help you track your progress and gain deeper insights.
- Walk with a Friend: Share the experience with a friend or family member. Walking with someone can make the activity more enjoyable and provide an opportunity to connect with others.
- Combine with Other Mindfulness Practices: Incorporate other mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing or body scan meditations, into your walk.
The Future of Mindful Fitness
The colour walk trend is part of a larger movement towards mindful fitness, which recognizes the importance of connecting mental and physical health. As people become more aware of the benefits of mindfulness, it’s likely that more innovative and engaging ways to incorporate it into exercise routines will emerge.
Caroline’s Circuits notes that the traditional approach to fitness has often focused solely on physical goals—whether it’s weight loss, muscle gain, or improved athletic performance, while these goals are important, they sometimes overlook a critical component of health: the mind. As the fitness world continues to evolve, the integration of mindfulness practices like colour walks offers a promising path towards a more holistic and balanced approach to well-being. By slowing down, engaging our senses, and connecting with our surroundings, we can transform a simple walk into a powerful tool for enhancing both our mental and physical health.
