Awe Walks: The 15-Minute Walk Science Says Boosts Your Mood (and How to Take One)

Think of the last time something stopped you in your tracks. A huge, blazing sky at sunset. A storm rolling in over the hills. A choir hitting a note that gave you goosebumps. A stranger doing something unexpectedly kind. A tiny flower pushing through a crack in the sidewalk.

That feeling of being small in the presence of something vast and wonderful is awe. For a long time, scientists mostly ignored it. Now it's one of the most exciting areas in the science of wellbeing, and researchers have discovered something lovely: you can go looking for awe on purpose, on an ordinary walk near home, in just 15 minutes.

What is awe?

Awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that we don't immediately understand. Psychologists Dacher Keltner of UC Berkeley and Jonathan Haidt, who helped launch modern awe research, describe it as having two key parts:

• Vastness: something big, whether physically (a mountain), conceptually (the age of the universe) or socially (an act of incredible courage)
• A need for accommodation: it challenges our usual way of seeing the world, so our mind has to stretch to take it in

Awe is often wonderful, but it can also have a hint of fear, like watching a powerful thunderstorm.

What awe does for you

The "small self"

One of the most consistent findings in awe research is the "small self" effect. Awe makes people feel less focused on themselves and their worries, and more connected to the world and other people. Problems that felt huge can suddenly feel more manageable.

More kindness and generosity

In studies, people who experienced awe, for example by gazing up at towering eucalyptus trees, were more helpful and generous afterward than people who looked at a building.

Less stress

Some research has linked awe with lower levels of inflammatory markers and with feeling less rushed, as if there's more time available.

A sense of meaning

Awe often connects people with something bigger than themselves, which is why it's so closely tied to spiritual wellness and a sense of purpose.

The awe walk study

In a study published in 2020 in the journal Emotion, researchers led by Virginia Sturm at UC San Francisco asked a group of healthy older adults to take a 15-minute walk outside once a week for eight weeks.

Half were simply told to walk. The other half were taught to take an awe walk: to tap into their childlike sense of wonder, look at their surroundings with fresh eyes, and notice things that were vast, beautiful or surprising.

The results:

• The awe walkers reported more joy and more "prosocial" feelings, like compassion and gratitude, during their walks.
• Their everyday distress went down slightly over the eight weeks.

There was a fun detail too. The walkers took selfies along the way. Over time, the awe group's photos showed bigger smiles, and the walkers took up less of the frame, with more of the scenery behind them. A small self, captured on camera.

It was one study with about 60 people, so it's not the final word. But the idea is simple, free and genuinely pleasant to try.

How to take an awe walk: step by step

1. Leave your phone in your pocket, except for a photo or two.
2. Walk somewhere you can look up and out. A park, a trail, the beach or a hilltop is lovely, but a city street works too.
3. Look with beginner's eyes. Pretend you're seeing everything for the first time, like a child or a visitor from another planet.
4. Notice the big things: the sky, clouds, trees, buildings, distance, the horizon.
5. Notice the tiny things: patterns in bark, frost on a leaf, light on a window, a spider's web.
6. Shift your scale. Look far, then close, then far again.
7. Breathe and pause when something catches you. Stay with it for a few slow breaths.
8. Walk in silence, or with a friend who agrees to share what amazes them.
9. About 15 minutes is plenty.

Dacher Keltner's eight wonders of life

In his 2023 book Awe, Keltner describes collecting stories of awe from people all around the world. He grouped them into eight wonders of life:

1. Moral beauty: other people's kindness, courage and goodness. Surprisingly, this was the most common source of awe.
2. Collective effervescence: the thrill of moving in sync with others, like at a concert, a game or a celebration.
3. Nature: mountains, oceans, storms, stars, trees.
4. Music
5. Visual design: art, architecture, beautiful objects.
6. Spiritual and religious experiences
7. Life and death: births, deaths and big transitions.
8. Epiphanies: sudden insights or big ideas.

That's great news. It means awe isn't reserved for people who can travel to the Grand Canyon. It's all around us, including in the people we know.

Finding awe close to home

You don't need mountains. Awe shows up in:

• The night sky, even a single bright planet or the moon
• A big old tree
• Birds moving together, like a murmuration of starlings
• Weather: fog, storms, snow, a rainbow
• Architecture, bridges and city skylines
• The scale of a city from a high window
• Music that gives you chills (see music and mental health)
• Art, in a museum or on the street
• Acts of kindness and courage
• A child's first steps
• Nature documentaries
• Thinking about the size and age of the universe

Awe for busy people: micro-moments of wonder

Can't fit in a walk? Try:

• Looking up at the sky for one minute every day
• Stepping outside at night to look at the stars or the moon
• Watching a short video of something awe-inspiring, like Earth from space
• Pausing to really notice a sunset on your way home
• Reading about a person whose courage moves you

Pairing awe with other habits

An awe walk counts toward your weekly activity minutes, gets you outside and gives your mind a break from screens. That's physical, environmental and spiritual wellness in one walk. If you love this, try forest bathing, which uses all your senses to soak up nature, or pair it with mindfulness and gratitude.

Awe journal prompts

Writing about awe can help you notice it more often and relive the feeling. Try one of these:

• When did I last feel awe? Where was I, and what did it feel like in my body?
• What's the most beautiful place I've ever been?
• Who is someone whose kindness or courage amazed me?
• What piece of music, art or writing gives me chills?
• What's something about nature that blows my mind?
• What made me feel small, in a good way, this week?

Does awe help your health? What we know so far

Awe research is still young, but early findings are encouraging. Beyond the awe walk study, researchers have found that people who report feeling awe more often in daily life tend to have lower levels of a marker of inflammation called interleukin-6, which is linked with stress and illness. Studies have also found that awe can make people feel they have more time available and less impatient. Most of this research is small or correlational, so it's best to think of awe as a lovely, low-risk addition to your wellbeing toolkit rather than a treatment. Its biggest benefit may be the simplest one: it reminds us that the world is bigger and more wonderful than our to-do list.

Awe with kids

Children are natural awe experts. Let them lead the way on a walk and notice what fascinates them: puddles, bugs, clouds. Stargazing, trips to the ocean, museums and nature walks are wonderful family awe activities.

Frequently asked questions about awe walks

How often should I take an awe walk?

The UCSF study used once a week for eight weeks. More often is great if you enjoy it.

Can I take an awe walk in the city?

Absolutely. Architecture, skylines, street art, parks, the sky between buildings and the sheer bustle of human life can all inspire awe.

What if I don't feel awe on my walk?

That's okay. Some days the world feels ordinary. Keep looking with curious eyes, try a new route or go at a different time of day, like sunrise or dusk. Simply noticing beauty is valuable even without a big "wow" moment.

Can I take an awe walk with a friend?

Yes. Agree to walk quietly for part of the way, then share what you each noticed. Pointing out wonders to each other can double the joy.

Is awe the same as happiness?

No. Awe is its own emotion. It can feel joyful, but also humbling or even a little scary. What makes it special is the sense of vastness and connection.

Back from your walk? Our free wellness wheel quiz shows where else a little wonder could help.