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Sense and Savour Walk to Cultivate Happiness

April 11 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Free
sense and savour walk to cultivate happiness

Sense and Savour Walk to Cultivate Happiness

Join us for a gentle Sense & Savour Walk in Colchester Castle Park as part of the Beat the Street initiative. This special walk is an invitation to slow down, connect with nature, and learn a simple self-compassion practice that cultivates positive emotions, supporting your own happiness and wellbeing.

So often we move quickly through our days without pausing to notice the good around us. During this walk we’ll explore the practice of “Sense and Savour” a mindful self-compassion practice that helps us gently turn our attention toward pleasant moments.

When we intentionally notice and appreciate simple experiences, the warmth of the sun, birdsong, fresh air, or the beauty of the park, we help our minds absorb positive moments more deeply. Research shows that savouring positive experiences can boost positive emotions, support resilience, and nourish our wellbeing.

Just as self-compassion helps us care for ourselves during difficult moments, savouring helps us fully receive the good moments too.

Together we’ll enjoy a relaxed walk through the beautiful surroundings of Colchester Castle Park, with simple guided invitations to pause, notice, and savour what is already here. No experience is needed, just comfortable shoes and curiosity. Come along to move your body, connect with others, and discover how slowing down and savouring small moments can gently cultivate more happiness in everyday life.

Event details

  • Meeting Point : 1:00pm in front of Firstsite Gallery
  • Walk begins: 1:30pm
  • Location of the Walk: Exploring Colchester Castle Park

A Beat the Street Colchester Walk

beat the street colchester

We’re delighted that Tracey Davis from Beat the Street will be joining us with a special Beat Box, meaning you’ll be able to tap in and earn double points for your team. If you are not signed up to Beat the Street, that’s ok, it’s not a requirement.

If you would like to take part in Beat the Street, we can help you get started with your own Beat the Street account so you can continue to enjoy the game. It’s a fabulous way to have fun while moving your body more.

 

After the walk, we’ll return to Firstsite Gallery, where you are warmly invited to stay for a Mindful Slow Stitching session, a creative and calming way to continue the afternoon together.

Questions & Answers

The walking will last no longer than one hour. We will go slowly, to take it all of the beauty around us, making this walk suitable for all.

Please bring a water bottle to keep yourself hydrated during the walk.

The Sense and Savour walk is suited to everyone. Whether you walk a lot and want to experience something different, or if you don’t walk at all, this is a gentle opportunity to be in nature. This walk is suited to all.

Absolutely! This is a wonderful opportunity to chat and connect with others while savouring all that nature in Castle Park has to offer.

No need to book

There’s no need to book a place or a ticket for the Sense and Savour Walk, simply meet us in front of Firstsite for this wonderful experience. Guaranteed you will leave feeling happier than when you arrived.

Benefits of this experience

This visit is about more than just a walk. It’s an opportunity to:

  • Learn to intentionally cultivate happiness
  • Step out of everyday life
  • Spend time together in nature
  • Experience the beauty of spring
  • Enjoy mindfulness in a peaceful, colourful, sensory-rich environment
  • A gentle day out surrounded by the spring blooms in Colchester Castle park, with time to wander, connect, and savour the beauty of the season together.

Does Savouring Work? Exploring the Research

Research in positive psychology shows that savouring, intentionally noticing and appreciating positive experiences, can increase happiness and wellbeing.

Psychologist Dr. Fred Bryant, a leading researcher in this field, describes savouring as our ability to attend to, appreciate, and enhance positive moments in life. Studies suggest that when we slow down and really notice pleasant experiences, we can amplify positive emotions and extend the benefits of everyday good moments.

For example, research has found that people who actively savour positive experiences report higher daily happiness and greater life satisfaction.

Positive emotions themselves also play an important role in wellbeing. According to psychologist Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory, positive emotions help us expand our awareness, build psychological resources, and strengthen resilience over time.

Savouring practices, like the Sense and Savour walk, help us gently train our attention to notice the good that is already present in our lives.

The Self-Compassion Connection

In the Blossome Community, we learn self-compassion, how to care for ourselves during difficult moments, responding to struggle with kindness rather than self-criticism.

But self-compassion also invites us to receive the good moments in life – to intentionally cultivate positive emotions, to counter our human negativity bias.

Practices like Sense and Savor help us slow down and notice small moments of pleasure, beauty, or connection. When we take a little time to appreciate these experiences, we allow them to settle more deeply in our awareness, nourishing our wellbeing.

In this way, savouring becomes another form of self-kindness, giving ourselves permission to enjoy and absorb the good that is already present.

During our Sense & Savour Walk, you’ll experience this practice in a gentle, accessible way as we explore the beauty of Colchester Castle Park together.

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