Let’s be honest, finding the motivation to get moving can feel like a monumental task sometimes. The couch calls, the screens beckon, and the sheer thought of lacing up those trainers feels exhausting. We know exercise is good for us, we hear it all the time. But knowing and doing are two vastly different things, especially when enthusiasm is low. What if there was a way to tap into a source of motivation that felt less like a chore and more like a gentle invitation? What if the key wasn’t grit and grind, but wonder and wander?
Enter the concept of the Awe Walk. It sounds a bit grand, perhaps, but the idea is beautifully simple: taking a walk with the specific intention of noticing and appreciating things that inspire awe – that feeling of wonder and amazement in the face of something vast, beautiful, or intricate. And where better to find such inspiration than in the natural world?
Tuning In, Not Working Out
An awe walk isn’t about hitting a certain pace or distance. It’s not about calorie burn or heart rate zones. It’s about shifting your focus outwards, engaging your senses, and allowing yourself to be genuinely impressed by the world around you. Think of it as mindful movement combined with a treasure hunt for moments of wonder. Instead of zoning out with headphones or mentally running through your to-do list, you actively look for things that catch your eye, spark your curiosity, or simply make you pause and think, “Wow.”
This could be the intricate pattern of veins on a fallen leaf, the way sunlight filters through a canopy of trees, the sheer expanse of the sky, the powerful crash of waves against rocks, the unexpected bloom of a wildflower in a city park, or the complex flight of a bird. It’s about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, the magic in the mundane moments of the natural world.
Nature’s Nudge: Why the Outdoors Works Wonders
Spending time in nature is inherently restorative. Countless observations, and increasingly scientific studies, point towards its benefits for our mental state. Fresh air, natural light, the colours and sounds of the outdoors – they have a way of calming the nervous system, reducing stress hormones, and lifting our spirits. When you feel calmer and happier, the barrier to physical activity naturally lowers. It feels less like forcing yourself and more like a natural extension of feeling good.
An awe walk leverages this natural advantage. By combining the inherent benefits of being outdoors with the specific practice of seeking awe, you create a powerful synergy. The environment itself makes movement more appealing, and the intentional focus on wonder transforms a simple walk into an enriching experience that you might actually look forward to.
The Power of Awe: More Than Just a Pretty View
Experiencing awe does fascinating things to our brains and perspectives. It tends to make our own worries and stresses feel smaller, putting them into a broader context. When you’re contemplating the vastness of the ocean or the ancient presence of a large tree, your personal anxieties can shrink in comparison. This phenomenon, sometimes called the “small self,” can be incredibly liberating.
Awe is also linked to increased feelings of connection – to nature, to humanity, to something larger than ourselves. It fosters curiosity and openness. This positive emotional state, this feeling of being uplifted and connected, is fertile ground for motivation. When you feel good, inspired, and less bogged down by your own internal chatter, the idea of moving your body, exploring further, or simply continuing the pleasant experience becomes much more attractive.
Consciously seeking out moments of beauty and wonder in natural settings has been linked to enhanced positive emotions and greater life satisfaction. This mental uplift can decrease the perceived effort of physical activity. It transforms movement from a task to be endured into a natural part of an enjoyable experience. Prioritizing time in nature actively nurtures both mental clarity and the gentle motivation to move.
Think about the opposite: feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and inwardly focused. Does that sound like a state conducive to eagerly heading out for exercise? Probably not. Awe flips the script. It draws you out of yourself and into the world, replacing stress with wonder, and it’s this positive engagement that can subtly, yet powerfully, fuel your desire to move.
How to Embark on Your Own Awe Walk
Ready to give it a try? It’s wonderfully simple. Here are a few pointers to get you started:
- Choose Your Setting: You don’t need a national park on your doorstep (though that’s lovely if you have one!). A local park, a walk along a river or canal, a beach, a forest trail, even a tree-lined street or a garden will work. Look for places with natural elements.
- Set Your Intention: Before you start, briefly remind yourself that the goal is to find things that amaze or interest you. Decide to be open and curious.
- Engage Your Senses: Don’t just look. Listen to the birdsong, the rustle of leaves, the distant city hum. Feel the breeze on your skin, the texture of bark. Smell the damp earth after rain or the scent of flowers.
- Slow Down: This isn’t a power walk. Allow yourself to meander, to stop frequently when something catches your attention. There’s no rush.
- Look High and Low: Gaze up at the vastness of the sky, the shapes of clouds, the tops of trees. Then, look down at the tiny details – insects, pebbles, moss, fungi.
- Notice Change and Complexity: Observe patterns in nature – fractals in ferns, the spiral of a shell. Notice how light changes, how water moves, how plants grow.
- Minimize Distractions: Try leaving your headphones behind. Put your phone on silent or airplane mode, using it only if you want to capture a particularly awe-inspiring sight (but don’t let documentation take over the experience).
Cultivating the Habit
Like any form of exercise or mindfulness practice, consistency helps. Start small – maybe one 15-20 minute awe walk per week. See how it feels. You might find yourself naturally wanting to do it more often.
Vary your locations to keep things fresh and expose yourself to different kinds of natural beauty. What inspires awe in a forest might be different from what inspires it on a coastline. Even revisiting the same place can yield new discoveries as seasons change or you notice things you missed before.
Consider keeping a simple journal afterwards. Jotting down what you noticed or how the walk made you feel can help solidify the experience and reinforce the positive connection between nature, awe, and your own well-being.
Beyond the Walk: An Inspired Mindset
The beauty of the awe walk is that its benefits often ripple outwards. Cultivating a mindset of appreciation and wonder can make other forms of fitness feel different too. Perhaps that challenging hill climb becomes an opportunity to see a wider view, or the repetitive motion of swimming allows you to appreciate the simple sensation of water supporting you. The perspective shift fostered by awe – seeing the bigger picture, feeling more connected, focusing less on personal struggle – can infuse all your movement with a little more joy and a little less resistance.
It’s about reframing fitness not just as something you should do, but as something you might actually want to do, prompted by the genuine pleasure and inspiration found in the world around you. So next time your motivation is flagging, don’t just force yourself out the door. Step outside with the intention to be amazed. Let nature’s grandeur be your guide, and you might just find your feet moving more willingly than ever before.
