In the rush of daily life, it’s easy to overlook moments that make us pause, reflect, and marvel. These are moments of awe—those profound instances that leave us feeling small yet profoundly connected to something far more significant. Whether standing under a star-studded sky, hearing music that touches your soul, or witnessing an act of kindness, experiencing awe can shift our perspectives and enrich our lives.
Awe is more than just a feeling; it’s an experience that shakes us to our core. It’s the goosebumps on your arms as a symphony crescendo, the lump in your throat as you gaze at a mountain peak, or the quiet tears of wonder when you see a newborn’s tiny fingers curl around yours. Awe expands our sense of time, slows our racing thoughts, and invites us into the present moment.
Awe experiencing exercise
Remember when you felt a sense of awe regarding something you saw or experienced? Perhaps you witnessed something remarkable in nature, observed an overwhelming act of kindness, or had a critical lightbulb moment. For this exercise, try to think of your most recent experience that involved the feeling of awe. Allow yourself to relive this moment of awe by closing your eyes for a few minutes and remembering as much about the experience as possible.
On paper, describe this experience from above (awe experience) in as much detail as possible, including what thoughts went through your mind and what feelings and emotions arose at the time. Include any positive thoughts and feelings that have shown up now as you have also relived this excellent experience.
As you may have just experienced, reliving awe moments allows us to re-experience some positivity they initially evoked in us. Documenting awe moments not only allows you to savor and enjoy the experience for a little longer, but it also allows you to store the memory so that you can recall and re-enjoy the awe in the future. As an optional next step, begin to diarize moments of awe by describing and reflecting on them in your ‘awe diary.’
