This morning I had the fortune of going to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta. I’ll be honest and say it did involve a bit of grumpiness around getting up in the dark and for-going my usual morning routine which I so love.
But once I got there and was greeted by this sight, I realised how awe-inspiring it was:
Watching a large piece of nylon inflate into the shape of a large panda and then float off into the sky is really something quite special! If you’d like to see more pics and a video of said panda, you can find it here on my instagram.Â
It reminded me that sometimes we need that break from routine, from certainty – to try something different and to allow ourselves to experience awe.
Why is awe good for you?
According to the experts, experiencing a sense of awe creates the chemical oxytocin in our body – the hormone of connection and love. So we feel more connected to others around us, and more relaxed as a result. Experiments show that the more awe you experience, the greater your sence of life satisfaction, wellbeing and reduction in stress. On a more scientific level, people who report feelings of awe have been proven to lower their levels of IL-6, which is a marker of inflammation in the body.
It also makes you less materialistic, more humble, generous and appreciative of the world, and helps to sharpen your brain.
Yes please, I’ll have some more of that! 😊
So this is all great if you’ve got access to the Balloon Fiesta, or if you’re visiting some amazing landmark or vista that’s to be greatly admired – but it got me to thinking:
How can I bring more awe into my normal daily life?
So it turns out that we don’t need to get everyone to go to amazing and wonderful places in order to experience awe. There are loads of small ways to experience awe every day. Here’s 5 ideas:
1. Experience ‘vastness’
If you can get access to a ‘vast’ view (such as a beautiful sunset, a mountainscape or coastline) and appreciate the beauty and awe of it, then this will absolutely cut it – however you can do this by watching it on tv or seeing it in print if you don’t have easy access.
2. Music
Seek out new music, or listen to music you love which you feel is awe inspiring. Â This is the sort of music that gives you chills – whether opera, classical music, or the emotive strains of a love song that means something to you.
3. Awe walk
Go on an ‘awe walk’ where you focus on observing what’s around you – from small details such as patterns and textures to the achievement of those who built the buildings we see around us. Â A study published on doing awe walks showed that 15 minute awe walks for 8 weeks reduced stress and increased positive emotions like gratitude in those that took part.
4. Admire the greatness in others
Seek out inspiration in the stories of those who survive catastrophes, or who go above and beyond to support those around them. You can find this in reading autobiographies of those who have endured great hardship and demostrated resilience, such as Viktor Frankl’s book ‘Man’s Search For Meaning’. Or take a moment to read the latest stories published by the Good News Movement.
5. Shared experience
You may be able to recall feeling awe when at a music concert or sporting event as part of a large crowd all experiencing the same moment. You can recreate the sort of awe experienced in this situation by joining in with smaller group activities – a dance class, park run or volunteering group will give you an opportunity to feel the sense of being part of a wider movement.
I for one am going to have a go at incorporating more awe into my life. I’d love to hear – how do you bring awe into your daily life?