‘Color Walks’ Are a Simple Way to Relieve Stress

If you’ve ever played a game of “I spy,” you may recall having to keep your eyes peeled for a certain color or object that starts with a specific letter. The fun part was making guesses until you got the correct answer. A similar principle is at play with TikTok’s “color walks,” which involve choosing a color and making it your mission to spot items of the same hue while you’re out walking. 

“Color walks encourage mindfulness and can serve as a grounding technique,” says Saba Harouni Lurie, marriage and family therapist. Grounding refers to techniques that are intended to help you relax when you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed. If your mind starts racing as you head out the door, color walks might be the strategy you need to create space from distressing thoughts and feelings.

What Is a Color Walk?

Chances are you’ve come across “rucking” or the “12-3-30 workout” while scrolling through social media. TikTok’s color walks are another workout made popular by creators who were looking for a way to practice self-care while getting their steps in. Color walks refer to when you choose a color before you head out the door and then focus on that one color the entire walk. 

Let’s say you picked yellow. So, you might be on the lookout for a dandelion, a school bus, or a yellow traffic light. For example, content creator Ellasandra Muse posted a video of a color walk with the caption: “if you have anxiety this is the best cure.” When another creator Charissa Bacon went on a color walk, she spotted a kayak, patio furniture, and a balcony, all in different shades of blue.

Essentially, color walks are a simple way to practice mindfulness, allowing us to feel relaxed, focused, and even playful, says Grace Lautman, mental health counselor. Stress activates our fight, flight, or freeze response. Mindfulness helps counteract this effect by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of the brain that helps us rest and recuperate.

How Do Color Walks Compare With Regular Walks?

Walking has numerous benefits for our health and well-being. In fact, research shows just 30 minutes of exercise can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems and improve your sleep. Walking also stimulates the release of feel-good chemicals called endorphins which lower stress and boost your mood.

As Lurie explains, however, walking doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to reap the mental health benefits of moving your body. “If you’re taking a walk and revisiting a challenging interaction you had earlier in the day, berating yourself for missing a deadline, or getting lost in negative thought patterns, then walking may be just as stressful as any other activity,” she says. The purpose of going on a color walk is to help you feel grounded so you can regulate your emotions, while giving you a prompt to help keep you engaged.

In addition, color walks combine the benefits of physical activity while allowing you to connect with the natural world. You are purposefully being present as you’re observing your surroundings and focusing on the external world, Lurie says. Plus, color walks give your brain something to focus on other than chores, errands, or family responsibilities.

“I see walking as a great grounding tool because the side-by-side motion of walking is calming and can support more adaptive thinking and processing,” Lautman says. Some people may find mindfulness exercises uncomfortable since they entail slowing down and noticing your thoughts and feelings. Accordingly, a color walk might be a good option if you have a hard time sitting or lying down while practicing mindfulness or meditation. 

How to Optimize Your Color Walks

As enjoyable as they are, color walks might not be realistic for everyone. Maybe you’re surrounded by concrete buildings or have few green spaces where you live. Fortunately, there are ways to practice grounding even if the view from your front door is low on color.

Lurie recommends incorporating other senses into your walk. As you’re walking, try noticing different sounds, scents, or textures, such as the types of leaves or how cool or warm the air feels. Lautman suggests trying an alphabet walk, where you choose a letter and look for things that start with that letter. 

Other grounding techniques include listing your favorite books or movies or reciting song lyrics to yourself. Just keep in mind that the goal of a color walk is to keep your mind engaged instead of dwelling on negative thoughts.