When it comes to sticking to a routine, it takes a lot of motivation and dedication for me to pull through. As someone who has decided to go back to therapy within the past year, I’ve become dedicated to taking better care of myself and my mind. So, when I saw the “color walk” TikTok trend, I knew I had to try it.
For those who aren’t aware, a color walk is a type of walk where you focus on a specific color and find that color during your walk. “A color walk is similar to grounding exercises like the ‘5-4-3-2-1’ technique often used to combat anxiety or panic attacks,” said Allison Chase, who is the senior clinical advisor for the Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center. “You’re selecting a color before you start and notice things in your environment that are that color as you adventure.”
Whether you spot red roses or white houses, the exercise is useful for practicing relaxation and focus. Exhibiting a sense of awareness based on your surroundings can even help you stay grounded within the environment. Also, if you’re a nature guru, the color walk can be a new activity that you can incorporate into your weekly routine.
Anyone can benefit from a color walk, as it can help relieve any stress or underlying issue that is affecting one’s mental health. Especially if you’re someone who mindlessly scrolls on social media, taking a break from it and replacing it with the beauty of nature will help you out in the long run. “We all have times in our lives when stress and anxiety can build — and nature offers stimuli that can impact our senses,” Chase says. “Whenever our senses can be heightened in a healthy, positive, serene way, it is always good for the body and brain.”
Chase states, “The key is to slow down and take in the environment and its natural beauty, forcing the body to slow down. Without the input of screens, one’s brain can calm down, which slows down the entire body to be calmer and relaxed.”
According to Her Campus’s 2025 Mental Health survey, Gen Z folks are taking action by utilizing self-care methods in their daily lives: 50% of respondents stated that exercise is a positive factor in their mental health, and 46% stated that time outdoors contributes to positive well-being. To bring these two things together, I decided to go on a color walk for myself to see if it truly makes a difference in my mental health.
So, I tried a color walk for myself.
The color green brings so much joy to me. It’s very down-to-earth and soothing to look at, and all of nature consists of the color green. I knew that my color walk would be a success after choosing this color, considering that I live in a neighborhood that is heavily forested.
I also chose to do my color walk on a bright and sunny morning, because I am most productive during the earlier portion of the day. And, if you live in the South like me, you’ll want to opt for walks in the morning rather than the afternoon (Georgia heat is no joke). I didn’t want to rush into doing the walk, as I wanted to make sure that I was ready both physically and mentally.
After freshening up for the day, I put on my running Nike shoes and went on my walk. The week was already draining for me, since my family and I were in the process of moving. I found this to be the perfect opportunity to take one more walk around the neighborhood before I said goodbye.
I walked for 30 minutes, and my main focus was spotting things that were the color green. Of course, I spotted multiple trees that have grown beautifully since the arrival of spring. There is also construction happening in the neighborhood, and I spotted a green porta-potty. (Nice!) Some houses that I walked by were painted either a dark green or with light green accents. I also admired the attractiveness of the flowers, which complemented the green color with their vibrant essence, and felt so serene and present.
After completing the walk, I felt relieved. The color walk made me feel grounded and calm — and it’s 100% something I’ll take with me from here on out (especially this summer). So, if you were looking for a way to unwind and reset, pick a color and head outside.