Wednesday Wisdom: Why an Awe Walk May Be the Simplest Mood Lift This Autumn

Have you ever stopped mid-walk because the sky was doing something extraordinary? Maybe it was a blaze of autumn leaves or a sunset that made you forget your to-do list for a minute. That feeling has a name, awe. Research suggests that seeking it out on purpose may be one of the simplest ways to lift your mood. 🌿

What Is Awe, Exactly?

Psychologists Dacher Keltner and Jonathan Haidt describe awe as the emotion we feel near something vast that we can’t immediately make sense of. It could be a towering tree, a starry sky or a tiny, perfectly patterned leaf. Studies link awe to a “small self” feeling. Your worries shrink a little, and you feel more connected to the people and world around you. One 2015 study by Paul Piff and colleagues found that people who had just felt awe tended to act more generously toward others.

The “Awe Walk” Study

In a study published in the journal Emotion, researchers at UC San Francisco asked 60 healthy adults aged 60 and over to take a 15-minute outdoor walk once a week for eight weeks. Half were simply told to walk. The other half were gently guided to look for awe along the way, noticing the vastness of the sky, fresh details and things they’d usually pass by.

The awe walkers reported more joy and more warm, connected feelings during their walks. Their smiles in the selfies they took grew bigger over the weeks, and they tended to report less day-to-day distress. Measures of anxiety, depression and life satisfaction didn’t change in either group. Still, it’s a lovely hint that how you walk may matter as much as whether you walk.

How to Take Your Own Awe Walk

1. Leave the phone in your pocket. Keep it on silent and use it only for a quick photo if something catches your eye.
2. Walk somewhere a little new. A different street, park path or trail helps your brain notice more.
3. Look up and look wide. Clouds, treetops and the horizon are easy sources of vastness. Autumn skies are especially generous right now.
4. Then look closely. Notice the veins of a fallen leaf, frost patterns or the way light moves through branches.
5. Take a few slow breaths. Pause for three breaths whenever something makes you go “wow.”

Fifteen minutes is plenty. If you already head outdoors regularly, an awe walk can quietly count toward your 120-minute weekly nature dose. If you’d like to go deeper, try the slow, sensory practice of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku). Inviting a friend along may add to the benefits, because connection matters for wellbeing too.

Today’s Wisdom ✨

You don’t need a mountain or a grand vacation to feel awe. It’s often waiting on your usual route, as long as you slow down enough to notice it. This week, try one 15-minute walk where your only goal is to be amazed by something.

This post is for general wellness education and isn’t medical advice. If you’re experiencing ongoing low mood, anxiety or distress, please reach out to a qualified healthcare professional.