Can 'Awe Walks' boost your well-being?
"Awe walks" can improve your mental health, new research suggests.
"Consciously watching for small wonders in the world around you during an otherwise ordinary walk could amplify the mental health benefits of the stroll, according to an interesting new psychological study of what the study’s authors call 'awe walks.' "
I am fortunate that I am relatively fit and healthy, and enjoy walking. In those early weeks of lockdown, as the spring blossom opened, and the birdsong returned, I deliberately cultivated 'awe' as I walked, as an antidote to what was going on in the wider world.
'Awe' is part of the VIA Character Strength 'Appreciation of beauty and excellence', and this is one of my top character strengths, so finding 'awe' is relatively easy - and very beneficial - for me.
This research suggests that searching for 'awe' can be a boost for all of us.
It's interesting that the 'scale' of the person in 'selfies' reduced for participants on 'awe walks'. I wonder if a wider sense of nature reduces our ego-centric views?
#positivepsychology #mentalhealth #characterstrengths #viacharacter #awe #coping