Awe-Time

/
 

The University of California Berkley's Greater Good Science Center has been studying the art and science of awe for over 15 years. I've been following their work and am intrigued that they are proving clinically what we all know to be true in our hearts and souls...

Feeling a sense of awe makes us feel good.

Awe is a positive emotion triggered by awareness of something larger than self. It can stir feelings of emotion that are not immediately understandable. It is a complex emotion that can feel similar to wonder, amazement, vastness, reverence, and insignificance.

Think of a time when you felt in awe of something or someone. It might be when you look at the stars, or visit the Grand Canyon, or kiss the head of a grandchild. It might be a butterfly leaving a chrysalis or a hummingbird's hum. It might come in a conversation with God or in the quiet moments noticing maple tree leaves turn from green to red. You may feel awe watching a sunrise over the ocean or during a sunset in the Flint Hills of Kansas (that's a personal favorite!)

This week, I invite you to be intentional about making time for awe. Here are some ideas for adding awe-time into your daily routine:

  • Awe-Walks

    • Take a walk outside and notice the amazing details of nature.

    • Research shows that with just one 15-minute walk a week levels of joy, smiling, social connection, and appreciation increase greatly. Imagine what a daily walk could do!

    • On your walk, you might select a color and watch for things in nature of that color.

    • Take a walk in a safe place at night and marvel at the stars.

    • Be in awe of what is around you with each step you take.

    • If you are unable to walk, sit by a window and notice the awes of nature.

  • Awe-Seeing

    • Look at yourself and other people through eyes of awe.

    • Notice the essence, soul, or spirit that resides inside you and every person.

    • See yourself and others as a child who wants to be loved and celebrated.

    • Think about the heartbeat inside your chest. Realize the person you are talking to also has a heart working hard for them inside their body.

    • See a life story in someone's eyes and when you look in a mirror, see your own life story in your eyes.

    • Notice the scars and weathering from life experiences. Consider what this person has survived or experienced.

    • Be in awe of what it means to be human and that we share this human experience with every other person on earth.

  • Awe-Eating

    • Marvel the food you eat - pause to notice aromas, textures, colors, and tastes.

    • Be in awe of how fruits and vegetables travel from the ground, through a farmer's hands, are packaged, loaded into a refrigerated truck, handled by grocers, purchased by you, and prepared for this meal.

    • Consider the nutrients provided for your body so that you can have the energy to live your life.

    • Be in awe of what is on your plate and how it arrived there.


Pause to see the world through eyes of awe.
Take some time to transcend above your daily tasks.
Notice the miracles all around us.

"Awe is what moves us forward." - Joseph Campbell

Let's move forward together into 2022 with an intention and renewed sense of awe.

Beaming love, peace, and awe to you,
Ginger