Awe...some

How (and why) to experience more goosebump moments

Welcome to a new week!

When was the last time you were awestruck? I had one of those moments this week + it made me remember something important to share with you here in The LIFT.

You ready?

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AWESTRUCK

I had the opportunity to witness an incredible sunset this week. After a drive up to Los Angeles with a friend, we made a stop in Huntington Beach on the way back to San Diego.

It was a gorgeous, clear afternoon + as soon as the sun started to set, the magic began to unfold. No photo could possibly do it justice, but WOW!

The next morning, I woke up + headed out for my morning run. After getting home late from the L.A. adventure, I expected to be tired on my run, but was shocked at how good I felt. I didn’t even feel the hills. It was a solid, feel-good sort of run. Amazing!

Even though I missed some sleep the night before my run, that dose of wonder + awe I had on the beach the night before did some great things for my body + my mind. I should have been tired, but instead, I felt energized + strong.

That’s because studies show that awe can improve physical + mental health - even things like type 2 diabetes, depression, heart disease + arthritis. The feeling that comes from awe calms down our nervous system which allows our bodies to reduce inflammation, slow down our heart beat + breathe deeper. It’s good for our brain health. And, awe makes us more kind, creative + generous because it reins in our ego + makes us feel more connected.

Awe is actually a vital part of our well-being.

Sadly, the older we get, the less we experience awe. You’d think it would be the opposite, but I guess children experience it more because they are seeing things for the first time. They are full of awe + wonder. Those of us who have been around for a while, stop seeing things that way. We don’t leave open space around our experiences to notice the magic.

The good news is - awe is something we can pull into our lives pretty easily. It just takes some intention + openness.

Most of us tend to think of awe as those rare moments standing on top of a mountain or taking in a incredible sunset like the one I saw this week, but it’s actually not limited to just those random moments because awe is not an event, it’s a state of being.

We don’t have to stand on a mountain or see something for the first time. We just need to open up some space to allow for more wonder.

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AWESOME

I experienced awe a couple of other times this week just sitting on my sofa.

One was watching Nyad. Have you see it? It’s on Netflix. A great story about swimmer Diana Nyad as she attempts to swim from Cuba to Florida - something she first tried at the age of 28 in 1978 + finally achieved in 2013 at age 64! How awesome is that? You gotta see it.

I was also in awe of the actors - Annette Bening + Jodie Foster did an amazing job representing these two women in their 60s. Strong female chacters. So awesome.

The other moment of awe was watching The Golden Bachelor. I know! What are the odds of that? I haven’t been watching the series, but it happened to be on when we flipped on the TV + we got sucked in. It was the wrap-up episode where they interviewed all of the women who didn’t make it to the final round.

What impressed me + sparked awe was first - watching the audience. It was just cool seeing women that age + the respect they seemed to garner from the audience in the way they handled themselves. The women were supporting each other rather than competing. So refreshing to see. And, clearly one of the benefits of age!

I also loved seeing the courage these women garnered in putting themselves ‘out there’. They were both vulnerable + confident. They allowed themselves to feel all the things without apologizing for it.

They each shared how the experience opened them up to believe something more for themselves - new experiences, opportunities, possibilities. And, in the process, they inspired hope in everyone watching.

I don’t know - I thought it was pretty awe…some.

The point is, you can find AWE anywhere.

Step back. Allow yourself to wander. To wonder. To see something in a new way.

BUT HOW?

To experience the health benefits of awe, you want consistent exposure. So, finding ways to pull awe into your daily life is well worth the effort. Not to mention, it’s going to make you feel so good!

Here are a few ways to bring some awe into your daily life:

• Pay attention. Just by being more aware of awe + looking for it, you will start to notice it more in your daily life.

• Be a beginner. Remember what it was like seeing something for the first time. Try to find that child like place for yourself. If you can’t remember, spend some time with children. They help you remember.

• See it for the last time. The first time seeing something is ‘awesome’, but so is the last time. Imagine a scene/circumstance as the last time you will see it. Watch the awe emerge.

• Notice kindness. We spend a lot of time focused on how terrible people are, but when we notice the goodness in others, it ignites awe.

• Slow down. Allow yourself time to wander + wonder. No one is going to give it to you, you have to claim it for yourself.

• Get outside. Nature always sparks awe. It doesn’t have to be a mountaintop. Awe can be found watching a leaf fall from a tree.

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FINDING AWE

If you are looking for ways to reduce anxety, ease chronic pain, find clarity + purpose, bring more awe into your life.

AWE is powerful!

Awe forces us to slow down and try to figure out what we are seeing. In these moments, our brains tend to be more open to new information, new explanations, new mysteries. Isn’t it possible, Shiota posits, that awe can help us craft a new story for ourselves about who we are, how we fit into this world, and who we want to be?

“It’s a window of learning,” she told me. Do we want to be someone who can quit smoking? Do we want to be someone who can let love into her heart again?

Outside

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YOUR MISSION:

This week I challenge you to feel some awe. Find it. Feel it. Let it work its magic - making you feel awesome!

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RESOURCES:

• READ: How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health | The New York Times

• READ: Tapping Into the Healing Power of Awe | Psychology Today

• READ: The Power of Everyday Awe | Harvard Business Review

• READ: The Power of Awe: Overcome Burnout & Anxiety, Ease Chronic Pain, Find Clarity & Purpose―In Less Than 1 Minute Per Day

• READ: Awe Is Good for Your Brain. Here’s How to Find It. | Outside

• READ: Why a Daily Dose of Awe Might Just Be the New Prozac | Oprah Daily

• READ: Goosebumps are good for your health | Barclay

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IN SUMMARY:

While awe can help fuel your next run or help lift your spirits, it can do so much more for us if we let it. It can open us up to new learning + new experiences. So, don’t let awe slip away waiting for big magical moments. We have to get out there + notice where it is in our every day.

You can learn more me + my women’s health coaching services on my website or follow along with me on Instagram @itMayBeMenopause

See you next week?

Meanwhile - you can read thru the archives here. And, please reach out to me anytime!

Email: karen@itmaybemenopause.com
Instagram: @itmaybemenopause

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