Go For A Savouring Walk

Enjoy a savouring walk                                                              Image:Pixabay

We have had some beautiful weather lately, great time to enjoy a walk in a natural environment. Autumn has been late arriving this year but now the heat is definitely gone. Yes, sometimes it is cold, but there are times when it is 'Goldilocks weather', not too hot and not too cold but just right. For a moment there I thought I had made up an expression but when I googled it I found this expression has been used by others. Oh well.

Recently I came across the term 'Savouring Walk' on the internet. The idea of a savouring walk is to spend twenty minutes taking a walk during which you make a point of using your senses to notice everything around you. Really look at the things around you. Look up at the leaves silhouetted against the sky. 

Take notice of the autumn leaves against the sky                               Image:Pixabay

Stop every now and then and look all around you. Breathe deep and smell the flowers or the damp earth. Touch some moss and notice how soft it feels. Listen to the birds chirping. Use as many of your senses as possible.

Instead of thinking about your shopping list or trying to work out the solution to a problem you practice mindfulness and live in the moment.

The idea is to concentrate on the positive so ignore any litter or other negatives you may come across. Don't get annoyed about that abandoned shopping trolley. Notice the birds instead.

Concentrate on the positive when you take a savouring walk                                        Image:Pixabay

When you see something you consider positive think about why it brings pleasure to you.

The next day go for another twenty minute walk but choose a different route and so on every day for a week. Choosing a different route keeps the experience fresh and you are less likely to zone out and think about other things.

A study was done by Loyola University Chicago. It was found the participants who took savouring walks for a week said they felt an increase in happiness. The test group who took walks as usual without concentrating on the positive did not experience an increase in happiness.

Taking a savouring walk is just one way of acknowledging gratitude for the good and positive things that are in our everyday lives.