The “color walk” is one of the latest walking and mindfulness trends. While it started gaining traction on TikTok in 2021, it’s still around in full force and has even recently spread to Instagram.
Seeing all of the videos online lately inspired me to give it a try—and I’ll take any excuse to get moving and get outside, especially in the winter when I need that extra motivation.
Want to give a color walk a try yourself? Keep scrolling to learn more about what it is, its benefits, and how to do it. You’ll be glad you did.
What is a color walk?
The color walk is a form of walking meditation, where you pick a color right at the start of your walk and notice that color in your environment during your stroll. For example, if your color is yellow, you might notice a yellow yield sign on the road, some daffodils in your neighbor’s yard, or a stranger’s sweater. This task allows you to pay attention to your surroundings and encourages you to be present in the moment.
“This is one of the first TikTok trends I can get behind—it makes perfect sense,” says Supatra Tovar, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and owner of Dr. Supatra Tovar & Associates. “What it actually does, which is beautiful, is keep your mind completely on the present moment.”
The benefits of doing a color walk
But what’s the benefit of doing this version of a walking meditation instead of sitting in the comfort of your own home doing an online meditation? Dr. Tovar says the benefit lies in the movement. “When we move our bodies, especially when we’re doing it in a stress-free kind of way, we’re releasing endorphins,” she explains. “You can also get that from sitting or lying down and doing meditation, but there’s the extra benefit to using your muscles as well.”
And we certainly want those endorphins—aka feel-good chemicals that make us feel relaxed—so why not get some time outside while doing it? Especially during those darker, and colder months, it’s vital to go outside and soak up some vitamin D. Getting your body moving is an added perk.
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“What it actually does, which is beautiful, is keep your mind completely on the present moment.” —Supatra Tovar, PsyD
Bridget Campbell, a lifestyle and wellness content creator, helped popularize the trend by documenting her color walks on TikTok. Campbell has shared her journey through color walks on her social media pages to inspire others to take the time to try this exercise and encourage mindfulness practices.
“While it’s an aesthetically pleasing and fun exercise, I also really felt my body physically calming down and being able to fully be in the present moment,” Campbell says. “I felt so grounded, so I wanted to share it with my followers, and I’ve received such a wonderful response from people trying it themselves.”
How to do a color walk—and my own experience giving it a try
As someone who has tried many forms of mindfulness and meditation, I often found myself struggling with the stagnation of sitting on my couch with my eyes closed. On my first day of doing a color walk, I chose the color pink, thinking it would be a challenge—just how many times in nature could I truly find the color pink? It turns out, it’s far more prevalent than one might imagine. I found myself actively observing the trees, the intricate details of my neighborhood, and even the cars passing by.
While my practice wasn’t perfect, I felt present in the moment and noticed my body relaxing—my shoulders were no longer tense, my jaw was unlocked, and I was moving at a slower pace. I even managed to spend 30 minutes of my day being active. Plus, the world is far more colorful than we often realize, even in an urban setting.
“While it’s an aesthetically pleasing and fun exercise, I also really felt my body physically calming down.” —Bridget Campbell, content creator
The next few times I engaged in a color walk, I explored new colors and felt excitement over trying different hues. Even during a stroll to my local coffee shop, I spontaneously chose to zero in on blue, without the initial intent of doing a color walk. It transported me back to childhood memories of playing “I Spy” with my siblings. I spy something yellow… was the original mindfulness exercise, where I took the time to notice everything around me and truly focused on that task.
There are various adaptations of this mindfulness activity—you could spend your walk noticing small acts of kindness in a bustling city, for instance. Dr. Tovar even practices a similar method during her daily commute, verbally acknowledging things she notices throughout her drive. For someone like me, who has struggled with meditation and remaining present, this was a delightful way to incorporate mindfulness in a fresh manner.
If you find a color walk challenging, Dr. Tovar suggests starting small: “Set your watch for one minute, just one minute, and as you’re walking, all you’re doing for that minute is picking out that color. Let that be your practice. Allow it to be enough.” Furthermore, it’s essential to celebrate your efforts because that positive reinforcement is crucial for establishing new habits.
So, if you need a break from the holiday hustle or seek to add mindfulness to your New Year’s resolutions, give a color walk a try. I highly recommend it for mindfulness beginners—think of it as a game of “I Spy” that benefits both your mind and body.
