What Happy People Do Every Day That Keeps Them Feeling Fulfilled, According To A Creative Health Scientist
This simple act activates your senses in a powerful way.
Inside Creative House | Shutterstock Happiness is something we all strive for. While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for taking care of your mental health and avoiding bad days, some daily habits can certainly help ensure you make the most out of every day.
Katina Bajaj, a creative health scientist and content creator, explained that "color walks" are one such habit as they positively affect a person's creativity and overall mental well-being. Bajaj insisted that there are many benefits to color walks and encouraged everyone to get up and start taking one daily.
Happy people take a color walk every day to keep themselves feeling fulfilled.
"Let me explain to you the science behind why color walks are so good for your creativity," Bajaj began. "I'm a creative health scientist and wholeheartedly believe in going on walks that activate your senses, your inspiration, and your openness, wonder, and curiosity."
She explained that they're similar to going on a simple walk around your neighborhood or park, only you're purposely paying attention to all of the beautiful things that you see around you. You're taking in all the colorful leaves, pretty birds, and even the people you pass by — anything that stands out and catches your attention and awareness.
These walks are intended to activate your senses.
Bajaj claimed that walks are not quite as fulfilling if you listen to a podcast, talk on the phone with a friend or family member, or scroll on social media. To get the full benefits, consciously take in the things around you. This turns up your senses of awe and wonder in a way that doesn't often happen in most of our everyday lives.
"There are so many scientific reasons why sensory awareness, awe, wonder, [and] beauty are so important for our mental and even physical health," she continued. "But some of the things that it actually does is it reduces cortisol and even lowers inflammation in the body, which is really important for our health and longevity."
These walks also allow you to feel more connected to yourself, the community, and the world at large. She explained that in scientific research, this phenomenon is called "small as self."
Studies where participants went on these 'awe walks' found positive results.
Bajaj noted that color walks are often referred to as "awe walks" and that people who participated in studies to understand the benefits of such walks often returned with large smiles on their faces from taking in the scenery around them. Going on walks has also been proven to increase our creative inspiration and creative thought.
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In 2014, a study from Stanford University found that creative output increased by 60% on average when walking compared to sitting. They tested this by using "divergent thinking," or the ability to come up with a variety of creative ideas for exploring different possible solutions.
"This isn’t to say that every task at work should be done while simultaneously walking, but those that require a fresh perspective or new ideas would benefit from it," said Marily Oppezzo, a co-author of the study.
Bajaj explained that these walks allow our brains to enter the default mode network, which is where all of the creativity begins. So, the next time that you find yourself in a rut or need a bit of a creative boost, you might find the best results by going on a color walk. You'll be surprised to notice just how much your mental health changes for the better.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.