Boost Your Dog Walks with AWE
Oct 28, 2020There may be many people you feel in awe of - from world-leaders to incredible thinkers, or artists. You may have visited one of the “wonders of the world” and felt in awe of that sight. Perhaps your dog also inspires a sense of awe? You might be in awe of our dogs’ ability to communicate with us - as a different species, speaking a different language. How they have the capability to out cancers and other diseases, to find lost people, or the emotional impact they have on us all.
But do you ever stop and feel a sense of awe in nature around you? Or the buildings you walk past on a daily basis?
Taking an AWE walk with your dog
We’ve talked a lot about how we can boost the benefits of walks for our dogs - to improve your connection and to aid their calm enjoyment of outside environments. But what about you - the human end of the lead? How can you get the best experience when stepping outside with your furry friend?
Well, a recent study is showing the positive effects of taking a daily 15-minute Awe Walk. The participants in the study (by researches from MAC and GBHI) reported increased positive emotions and less distress in their daily lives in just 8 weeks.
This is not the first study into the positive benefits of feeling a sense of awe! Studies have also shown how the experience of “awe” can boost prosocial behaviours, compassion, gratitude. It can reduce aggression and even make you less impatient!
So what is awe? No doubt you’ve felt it - but can you explain it? It’s referenced as being the feeling of “wonder and amazement in response to experiencing something so vast that it transcends one’s current frames of reference”. It can be that feeling when you feel small, you get goosebumps, and you realise you aren’t just part of your own insular world but of a much bigger picture.
In this latest study, a group of adults were split into two sections - those that took an Awe Walk and those that were just instructed to take a daily walk. The group that followed the Awe Walk routine were asked to look for moments of “inspiration and wonder” in what could have ordinarily been a more mundane walk. They were encouraged to look at their surroundings with fresh eyes. The control group were given little more instruction than to go for a daily 15 min or more walk.
The results from the study not only showed happier facial expressions on the Awe Walkers’ daily selfies but they also focused more on the unique experiences each walk bought. They focused on the crunch of leaves underfoot or the changing colours around them. In their selfies, as the weeks went on, they themselves started to occupy less of the picture - with the focus being on the environment around them. Whereas the control group tended to be thinking about what was going on in their own life - staying in their head as opposed to connecting with nature.
While we know that regular exercise can boost our mood - as well as our physical wellbeing - seeking “awe” could be considered a new approach to how we experience the world around us. To feel humbled and inspired by the world around us just adds an extra layer to an already incredible adventure - time with our dog.
If you find it difficult to live in the present moment - to distract yourself from your “to-do” list - then focusing on something small in the world around you is a great way to get started. And where better to train your eye than onto your dog and the elements of nature they enjoy.
The Greater Good Science Center have put together a comprehensive guide to taking an Awe Walk, in which they suggest the best way to get started is to visit new environments for your walks. Ideally, you’ll find locations where you can find physical vastness or novelty - so sweeping landscapes, urban settings, or forests filled with giant trees. However, you can find moments of inspiration everywhere - yes, even on your routine, “round the block” walk!
While taking your Awe Walk, try to leave your phone in your pocket. This is not a time for checking emails or having notifications buzzing constantly. This is a time to connect not only with your dog but with the enormous world around you.
Start your walk with some calm breaths - this can help focus your attention on the hear and now. My good friend, Clinical Psychologist Linda Blair, taught me the best way to breathe (mindfully and for a reduction in stress) was in through your nose to the count of 4, hold your breath for the count of 7, then exhale through your mouth for the count of 8. Try doing 3 or 4 repetitions of this breathing pattern before you start your walk.
Then as you move off, be aware of the feeling of the ground under your feet. Feel the fabric of the lead in your hand. Listen to the sounds around you - whether they be birds, people talking, or traffic, take note of the individual noises.
Then let your eye explore the surroundings around you. Watch your dog. Perhaps they stop to sniff a pile of leaves. Could you stop and explore the changing colours of the season or the shape the leaves form? If they stop to pee on the corner of a building, train your eyes to look up and take in the vastness of the building above you or how shadows are forming alongside the walls.
Now bring your focus back to your breath. Slow things down further. Don’t be tempted to charge forward at your normal walking pace.
There are so many different environments we can explore with our dogs. We can get stuck in the habit of taking the same walks every instead of exploring a different street, a different field, or a different part of a woodland. When you’re able to, plan a day of it - travel to a beach, a new city, or an incredible wide country vista.
If you’re looking for inspiration, talk to other local dog guardians. Make a list of their favourite walks and add it to yours. While you may not have the time to go on a new adventure every day, your dog will be so grateful to take in some new sights (and more importantly smells) when you can.
If you’ve got a “busy” dog or one who finds the world a little more worrying, take your walks somewhere quiet and calm. When you’re not having to worry about what your dog is doing, or who might appear around the corner, you’ll both be able to focus that time outdoors on being engaged in the wonders of the world.
So why not make a little time for awe - not only on your dog walks but in your everyday life? Take time to stop, look around you. Notice the changing seasons, the expanse of nature, or the incredible architecture that surrounds you. But most importantly, notice the subtle changes in your dog and the choices they make. Look at them in wonder and relish in your relationship together. They are our best teachers when it comes to finding awe in the smallest of life experiences.
References
