A Daily Practice of Awe
Years ago, a started a specific journal which I entitled my Book of Awe.
The purpose of the journal was to write down, every day, something in the world that struck me with awe. The daily entries weren’t long, just a line or two, a mention of something special that I heard, saw, smelled, or felt. The project forced me to be in a state of awareness and mindfulness as I moved through my day. After all, I needed to find something to put in the journal so I had to pay attention! It didn't have to be anything dramatic like a rainbow (always awesome); some days it was a simple thing like a perfectly formed leaf on the ground or a spectacularly brewed cup of coffee. Corny. I know.
Rainbows are kind of a no-brainer when it comes to finding awe.
I abandoned the project after about a month (yes, how awe-ful.) But I must admit: my brief awe project did force me to keep my eyes open as I went about my day. My self-assignment was to look for beauty every single day and I regret abandoning it.
Recently, I read an article in the NYTimes entitled: "How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health." There's even a new book by Dr. Dacher Keltner called Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life. The author is a psychology professor who helped Pixar find the emotional core of the movie “Inside Out.”
From the book’s blurb: “If we open our minds, it is awe that sharpens our reasoning and orients us toward big ideas and new insights, that cools our immune system’s inflammation response and strengthens our bodies. It is awe that activates our inclination to share and create strong networks, to take actions that are good for the natural and social world around us.”
The upshot of this: evidently, I was on to something with my Book of Awe! I've decided I'm going to resume the practice in 2023. I encourage you to bring more awe into your life. Per the author Dr. Dacher Keltner: “We are at this cultural moment of narcissism and self-shame and criticism and entitlement; awe gets us out of that." We need more than anything to get ourselves in a better head space. Now. 2023 could be the year for awe.