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Walk the Dog: Discovering Life Through the Five Senses

  • Sep 28
  • 5 min read

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Four years ago, I completed my certificate in Happiness Studies. True to what I had learned, I immediately began applying it in my teaching and professional life. One of my first projects was an eight-week course under the banner Wholebeing for Entre- and Intrapreneurs, part of a minor program in International Business and Careers.

That group remains one of the most memorable I have ever taught. For reasons both profound and lighthearted—like the Turkish nickname I carried away from it, Koca Sevimli Dev, or “The Big Friendly Giant”—it left a lasting mark. But what truly stayed with me, and with some of my students, was a simple story I shared during our very first session.

It was the story of walking the dog.


A Phone-Free Promise

Like many families, ours welcomed a dog during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the start, I made myself a promise: I would never bring my phone on walks. Instead of scrolling, checking emails, or catching up on news, I would be fully present with my surroundings.

This decision was inspired by Helen Keller’s classic essay Three Days to See (1933), in which she lamented how often people walk through the world without really noticing it. She wrote of a friend who returned from a walk in the woods and, when asked what she had seen, replied: “Nothing in particular.” Keller’s incredulous question still rings true today: “How is it possible to walk for an hour and see nothing worthy of note?”

With Keller’s words in mind, I resolved to use my walks as an exercise in awareness, beginning with sight.


Seeing with Fresh Eyes

Once I began to truly look, I discovered I had been missing a world of detail. The environment is constantly shifting: leaves change color with the seasons, light plays differently after a rain shower, a rainbow appears unexpectedly. When we pay attention, nature rewards us with endless variety. Visually focusing on natural elements, like trees, has been shown to reduce anxiety and promote a sense of restoration (Li et al., 2025).

I soon realized, however, that sight was only the beginning. I had four other senses waiting to be awakened.


Hearing the Quiet

After focusing on vision for several weeks, I turned to sound. Early morning walks became a symphony: countless bird species calling, wind brushing through branches, footsteps crunching on gravel. Just as striking, though, was the absence of sound—the rare but powerful silence that settles over a place and sharpens one’s awareness. Attuning to silence can be a powerful tool for present-moment awareness (Fruit from the Roots, 2024).


Smelling the World

Next, I opened my attention to scent. Smell has always been closely tied to memory for me. As a boy delivering newspapers, I often caught the aroma of freshly baked bread drifting from a bakery, and that memory remains vivid decades later. During walks, I rediscovered the richness of this sense: the earthy freshness after rainfall, the sweetness of blooming flowers, even the sharp bite of winter air. Sadly, it seems we rarely use our sense of smell consciously, though it holds so much potential to ground us in the present. A whiff of a familiar scent can transport yourself to a long-forgotten memory (Community Neuroservices, 2025).


Touching the Everyday

Exploring touch was more unusual. How often do we allow ourselves to feel the textures of the world around us? A leaf’s smoothness is easy enough, but lying down to press my palms against the cool surface of stones felt strange at first. Yet, the practice deepened my connection to the environment. It reminded me that “feeling” is not only an emotional experience but a physical invitation to engage with reality. Our body can adapt much more easily to all the changes that are present, and can be mobile because we experience a stable base (EMOVE Institute, 2024).


Tasting the Moment

Finally, I experimented with taste. Of course, I considered the obvious—berries found along the trail—but I went further. One rainy morning, I even licked raindrops from leaves. Odd as it sounds, these small acts became playful reminders that the senses are gateways to joy and curiosity. Sensory play is any activity that stimulates our senses and helps us interact with and make sense of the world that surrounds us (Action for Children, 2022).

By then, my experiment had evolved into what I began calling Walk the Dog 3.0. Each version was a refinement, expanding from sight to sound, smell, touch, and taste. What began as a simple phone-free walk grew into a practice of mindful living.


From Personal Practice to Shared Lesson

This story became part of my teaching. In that first Wholebeing course, after seven weeks exploring the SPIRE model of well-being (Wholebeing Institute, n.d.), students were asked to share their reflections. One student told me he had tried my Walk the Dog exercise. His family didn’t own a dog, so he borrowed the neighbor’s just for the experience.

I was delighted. And I made sure to clarify: you don’t need a dog to walk with your senses wide open. Anyone can practice this awareness simply by stepping outside.


The Ongoing Journey

Over time, I have continued to live these stories and to share them with others. They remind me that happiness often lies not in grand achievements but in the smallest of moments: a birdsong, the smell of rain, the texture of stone, the taste of a raindrop.

These experiences have inspired me to begin writing a book, tentatively titled Happiness Stories. Each chapter, like Walk the Dog, will explore how everyday practices can enrich our well-being when approached with curiosity and intention.


Takeaway

In a world that constantly pulls us toward distraction, walking the dog—literally or metaphorically—offers a chance to return to ourselves. By engaging all five senses, we not only notice more of the world but also cultivate gratitude, presence, and joy.

So next time you step outside, leave your phone behind. Breathe deeply. Look, listen, touch, smell, and taste. You might be surprised at how much life has been waiting for you to notice it.



References


About the author:

Jean-Pierre Beelen is a Certified Happiness Trainer and Coach with over 35 years of experience in business development, pre-sales, innovation, and education. He holds a Master in Happiness Studies, a Master in Global Digital Business, a Bachelor in Economics, and a Postgraduate degree in Innovation & Strategy. After a long international career as a Principal and Managing Consultant across industries, he now dedicates himself fully to teaching and inspiring university students. Passionate about helping people align their talents, orientation, and character with organizational and personal purpose, Jean-Pierre is driven by the question of how to balance study, work, and private life in the pursuit of happiness and meaning.


 
 
 

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