Have you ever heard of taking a color walk?
I had not until recently.
But the more I thought about it, the more I felt that it would be a great add on to a mindfulness practice. The concept of a mindful color walk is very simple. You take a walk (preferably in nature) and notice the colors around you. You can either focus on one color or several different colors depending on what suits you best.
A color walk can be a unique way of incorporating mindfulness into your everyday life. A color walk provides a different spin on being able to connect with yourself and with nature. And of course, it allows you to manage your stress before your stress manages you.
Mindfulness Color Walk Benefits
Besides the typical benefits of increased self-care and stress reduction, a color walk can also:
Increase your mind/body connection.
As you walk and breathe deeply, you reinforce the connection between your mind and body to the benefit of your wellbeing.
Help connect you to your creativity.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, creativity is a form of self-care. As you walk and focus on the various colors, you might see combinations and patterns that are unique and interesting, sparking creativity.
Increase your ability to focus on the present.
As you concentrate on the colors that surround you, you’re not thinking about the past or the future, just the here and now. That allows you to be fully in the moment.
How To Mindfully Color Walk
1st Pick a location that works for you.
It can be your local park, your neighborhood, your city or town’s botanical garden or garden center. As long as it’s a location that’s colorful and where you feel safe.
2nd Decide if you are going to focus on one color or many.
If you’re walking in a park or forest type of setting, you might decide to focus on one color, of course green would be super easy, but maybe you could focus on all the varieties of green that you see.
In a setting like a botanical garden, there can be a boatload of colors to choose from.
3rd Start walking.
Start slowly, taking a few deep breaths to center yourself. As you begin to walk, observe the colors around you. If you’ve chosen to focus on a single color, make note of when you see it.
Notice how much of your chosen color is around you?
How vivid are the colors?
Does the texture of the object that you’re observing affect the color?
4th Bring in your other senses.
As you walk, notice the scents, and sounds around you. How are they connected to the colors that you see?
5th Continue to be mindful of your breath. Inhale and exhale deeply and fully.
6th As you are bringing mindfulness to your color walk, make sure that you are non-judgmental in your observations of color.
There are no good colors or bad colors. They just are.
Color Walk Reflection
Once you’ve finished your color walk, you can continue to enjoy its benefits by reflecting on your walk.
Ask yourself the following:
What colors did I notice the most during my walk? How did those colors make me feel?
Were there any colors that brought out strong emotions? If so, what colors and what emotions?
Was I able to connect with nature in a different way?
Did I Discover Beauty in Unexpected Places? Reflect on whether you encountered beauty in places you wouldn't have expected. How does this remind you to look for the extraordinary in the ordinary?
How can I bring my observations into my everyday life?
Reflecting on your color walk helps you bring mindfulness to your everyday life. It may also inspire you to look at your surroundings in a different way. You can do it because it’s all about Making Time.
Are you going to focus on one specific color or a variety on your next color walk? Let me know in the comments section.
Cassandra Martin-Himmons, LMSW is a stress management coach and content creator who believes in empowering her clients to help them manage their stress and increase their self-care. In her spare time she enjoys papercrafting, hand embroidery and travel. Connect with her on Instagram