How To Find Calm Through Walking

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Mindful walking isn’t just a stroll—it’s a science-backed way to reduce, improve concentration, and soak in the beauty of your surroundings at the same time.

Meditation has proven benefits, but the style that works best depends on a person's habits and preferences. In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we explore walking meditation, a powerful practice for feeling more centered and grounded. Dan Harris, host of the award-winning 10% Happier podcast, shares how walking meditation helps him manage the residual stress and anxiety from years of war reporting and high-pressure TV anchoring. Then, Dr. Paul Kelly from the University of Edinburgh dives into the science, explaining how walking meditation can reduce stress, sharpen focus, and improve overall well-being.

Practice:

1. Acknowledge the presence of your body. 
2. Acknowledge the thoughts and attitudes your mind is naturally thinking about.
3. Acknowledge the nature around you. 
4. Repeat steps 1-3 in intervals. 

Walking Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/29dnmndp

Today’s guests:

DAN HARRIS is a previous TV anchor and war reporter. He is a NYT best selling author with his book 10% Happier, and  hosts a podcast by the same name. He’s one of the country’s best known proponents of meditation and he’s made walking meditation a regular practice for years to manage stress and anxiety. 

• Listen to The 10% Happier Podcast: https://happierapp.com/podcast
• Follow Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danharris
• Follow Drew on Twitter: https://x.com/danbharris

DR. PAUL KELLY is a professor from the University of Edinburgh studying mindfulness. His studies focus on how meditation can reduce stress, sharpen focus, and improve overall well-being. 

• Learn more about Dr. Kelly: https://tinyurl.com/zv7x9xxh

More episodes like this one:

The Healing Effects of Experiencing Wildlife: https://tinyurl.com/yh238ekp
How To Unwind Doing Mindful Yard Work: https://tinyurl.com/4p7drusk
How to Use Your Body to Relax Your Mind: https://tinyurl.com/yckyft6t

Happiness Break like this one

Walk Your Way to Calm, with Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/mp5cptan
Experience Nature Wherever You Are, with Dacher: https://tinyurl.com/mrutudeh
Find Calm When You Can’t Clear Your Mind, With Lama Rod Owens: https://tinyurl.com/4ce353nu

Tell us about your experiences and struggles with achieving mindfulness. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap