Go for a Morning Gratitude Walk for High Vibes All Day Long
For the last few weeks, I’ve started making it part of my morning routine to go for a short walk around my neighborhood, completely free of distractions — just me, my thoughts, and the nature around me.
I started this practice to work on balancing my circadian rhythms, which are extremely important for our sleep, hormonal balance, digestion, metabolism, and pretty much every other process in the body.
Those who tout the benefits of properly managed circadian rhythms encourage getting outside in morning sunlight as soon as possible after you wake up to get your internal clock ticking the way it should.
I have yet to notice a significant change in my sleep, energy, etc. due to this morning walk, but I have noticed that it’s an excellent way to tame my constantly running thoughts and focus on the positive things in my life.
On my second or third walk, instead of my usual bunny-hopping thoughts, I simply found myself thinking along the lines of, “Wow, what a gorgeous day. I’m so grateful for days like this.” And then I just… kept going. I’m grateful for the trees and the grass. I’m grateful for the sun and the sky. I’m grateful for my family. I’m grateful for walking. I’m grateful for my healthy body and mind… And so on.
I managed to keep this up for the full 25-minute walk, and naturally, I felt amazing by the time I walked up the driveway to my house.
Now, I’ve been on many more walks since then, and I don’t always do these gratitude affirmations for the entire walk. I still get distracted by my surroundings, or sometimes I mentally plan out my tasks for the day, but I always include at least a few moments of gratitude.
It tends to be around the same things, too. Nature, my health, my family — the basics. But I think the repetition is a good reminder of these foundational things we have in our lives to be grateful for.
How to Start Your Gratitude Walk Practice
Commit to getting outside for a morning walk as often as weather permits. (It was 35 degrees outside this morning, but it was sunny, so off I went!) It can be as short or as long as you like, but I average between 15–25 minutes on most days.
Add it to your preexisting morning routine, or take this opportunity to build one! If you have trouble staying motivated, link your walk to an enjoyable activity, like drinking coffee or tea.
If you want the morning sunlight/circadian rhythm benefits as well, getting outside within the hour you get up is a great target. But if you can’t swing that, just aim to get out before you begin the rest of your tasks for the day.
I simply start by observing the natural beauty around my neighborhood. I’m fortunate to live near a park with a river and many huge trees. Saying things to myself like, “Wow, what a beautiful sky today,” or “I love the way the wind rustles through the trees,” naturally puts me in a grateful mood.
I’ll usually just follow my stream of consciousness from there and simply list things off beginning with, “I’m so grateful for ____.” Repeat for as long as you can focus. When your mind inevitably wanders at some point, bring it back to the gratitude phrase. Have fun with it, and go with the flow.
I find that the rhythmic pattern of walking helps me stay focused for longer, too, as opposed to a sitting meditation.
If you go for a longer walk, it’s totally fine to shift your focus at some point to your daily to-do list or something else. Just make sure you’re not beating up on yourself or otherwise bringing yourself down after you did all that gratitude work. If that happens, return your focus to the gratitude list, your breathing, or the environment around you.
When you return, pat yourself on the back for the positive vibes you just created, and move along with your day!
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