Life is filled with so many precious experiences and a lot of times we might miss them. Sometimes we get so caught up with our day to day schedule that we don’t even take the time to smell the roses and see how much we have to be thankful for, but with taking gratitude walks… we can.
Many of you may not know exactly what I mean when I say “gratitude walks” and I’m going to explain what it involves.
When you take a gratitude walk you’re not only walking. You’re taking the time to evaluate your surroundings to show your appreciation or at least that’s how I view my own personal gratitude walks.
Today I figured I would share with you guys a few reasons why you should start taking gratitude walks and how they can impact your life.
4 Reasons Why You Should Take Gratitude Walks for Your Mental Health
You can experience the wholesomeness of life.
When you take a regular stroll down the street, your mind is probably pondering different things along with getting to your destination. When you take a gratitude walk, you truly experience life. During these walks, you will take the time to really dive into your senses. Smell the air. Do you smell any pleasant scents? I know I love when I can smell foods from restaurants or bakeries. I also enjoy embracing the smell of wet grass or even fresh cut grass. You’ll see a variety of different things you probably never even paid attention to. Look at the gorgeous architecture of the buildings. See the gorgeous trees as they sway in the wind or look up at the slow moving clouds. What does your imagination show you in the clouds? Take the time to enjoy the beauty of different things in life and to focus on those things versus focusing on things causing you stress.
It helps you to appreciate things and be thankful.
Recently when I took a gratitude walk, I started thinking about how I am even able to experience life along this stroll. I thought,
“I usually walk because I’m going somewhere. Today, I am just walking to walk around. Huh… I never really take the time to think about how thankful I am just to be able to walk or even run.”
“I can smell different things. I can see all of these beautiful trees and the vibrant colors on these different buildings. I never think about it, but it’s pretty amazing that I’m experiencing this right now in this very moment.”
I know sometimes I would even end up focusing on my breathing and just think…
“Wow, I’m actually alive. I’m glad I’m alive.”
I never really think about being alive even though I am alive if that makes sense, but actually taking the time to view life from the perspective of being in a moment of gratitude while being outside… It just really made me feel calm.
Within thinking about all of these different aspects of my life… I feel like I should be taking better care of myself and that I should be thankful for these capabilities. Not everyone can see or view color. Not everyone can walk either. They are both simple things that a lot of us take for granted even though it’s pretty amazing. We over look those simple things we rely on everyday and it’s a wonder how I don’t say I am thankful for these things almost ever.
Gratitude walks can make you feel more positive.
There have been quite a few times when I wasn’t having a good day and I decided to take a gratitude walk. While taking these walks, I was able to remove whatever negative thoughts I was originally having because I was focused on just living in the moment. When you consider all of the things you have to be thankful for it really puts things into perspective where you aren’t as upset about the things that cause you negative emotions.
Walking is a great workout.
Lastly, walking is a form of exercise which is great for your overall health. It is an amazing form of cardio that keeps you moving without overwhelming yourself. I know of a lot of people who take walks and it has helped with managing their health issues as well as even helped them lose weight.
Overall, gratitude walks can be beneficial for your physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health.
Try it out a few times and see how it affects you.
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I’d greatly appreciate it!
