Did you know there’s neuroscience research on AWE?
One of the leaders, Dr Dacher Keltner, recently published a book called, Awe: The New Science of Every Day Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.
He describes awe as: “the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world.”
Being a social scientist, he’s interested in emotion and actually studies how the sensation of awe affects our biology! Not only does it calm your nervous system, it also activates the body to make oxytocin, the love hormone!
I know you’ve experienced awe, and if you think about it, you probably have multiple examples- most notably things like visiting the Grand Canyon, walking into Chartre Cathedral, or watching a lion hunt an antelope- but we can ACTUALLY cultivate awe every day!
Here are 7 ways to do that:
1. Take in the Bigger Picture
It’s easy to get caught in the minutiae of life, lasering in on your To-Do list, or focusing solely on what’s in front of you.
Why not stop for a moment and look up? See a wider landscape.
Maybe take in the mountains, the ocean waves, or a bird alighting on a branch just outside your window.
Any moment where you stop and allow yourself to reconnect to the greater whole will bring you into a state of awe.
2. Practice Mindfulness
This is another way to pay attention, and is particularly helpful if you’ve noticed that you’ve been on autopilot lately. You know, like you just arrived at the store and don’t even remember driving yourself there! 🫢😲😳
How can you be more present wherever you are and with whatever you’re doing?
Take a deep breath in and allow yourself to come FULLY into this moment.
3. Focus on the Good in Others
Can you look at someone and see their innate goodness?
Perhaps, it's appreciating a neighbor who's feeding others with her garden, or someone safely driving the bus, or the person who helped bag your groceries.
Carl Rogers, the esteemed psychologist, refers to this as unconditional positive regard. Why not try it?
4. Inspiring Examples
Another way to activate AWE is by reading, watching videos, and learning about people who inspire you.
Maybe it’s a politician who’s a true servant leader, or a pioneer in your field who you really admire, or an athlete that's gone above and beyond… learning about these people shifts our mindset into appreciation, generosity and possibility.
5. Change It Up
How can you alter your everyday routine?
Is it trying a new restaurant for lunch or taking a different route to town? Adding variety is an easy way to re-awaken natural curiosity and bring you into a state of awe.
6. Awe Walk
You could, in fact, go for a walk!
Think about this as if you’re with a toddler who’s stopping to look at everything- the pebble on the road, the fallen leaf, etc.
I happen to live with a 10-month-old, and the other day he was so excited to stand in the open refrigerator. I watched as he craned his head to look under one of the lower shelves to determine where the light source was coming from. Watching him I realized that I’d never even noticed there was a light down there!
7. Collective Movement
Is there something you can join or attend? A concert, dance, prayer group, or ceremony?
All of these collective engagements help shift us into a higher vibration where it’s easier to access awe. What’s happening in your neighborhood?
Ever since I learned about this research, I’ve been actively working on using these examples to help me tap into awe.
If you want to know more, check out Dr Keltner’s book. He also hosts the podcast, The Science of Happiness.
Now, pick ONE of the above suggestions to do it TODAY!
Conduct your own experiment. See if once you do it, you feel better, too!
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Image courtesy of Arek Socha on Pixabay