I received this letter from an acquaintance, Maggie Q, the other day. It resonated with me so I had to share it with you! It reads:
"Is there a particular EMOTION that’s best for your health?
It might seem obvious at first…
After all, everyone knows it feels great to be happy, and it feels bad to be sad.
But experts say there’s one “rare” emotion that can actually unlock a greater sense of wellbeing…
While helping to lower physical and mental stress… support a healthy heart… soothe digestion issues… and even boost your longevity.1
It’s awe."
It might seem obvious at first…
After all, everyone knows it feels great to be happy, and it feels bad to be sad.
But experts say there’s one “rare” emotion that can actually unlock a greater sense of wellbeing…
While helping to lower physical and mental stress… support a healthy heart… soothe digestion issues… and even boost your longevity.1
It’s awe."
Now, it turns out that it's a specific type of awe that comes from "heart stopping" moments that have lasting impacts on your health.
For me, I most recently experienced this type of awe while on an early morning walk. While walking through a forest I heard rustling and looked up. In the trees were three huge barn owls. It was so awe inspiring to see these huge creatures gazing down at me... I had to stop and watch them!
Maggie goes on to give 3 places we can look for awe in everyday life. They are:
Maggie goes on to give 3 places we can look for awe in everyday life. They are:
- Awe in nature, like feeling small next to a mountain
- Awe in people, like being shocked by a stranger's kindness
- Awe in yourself, like how far have you come in 5 years? Sometimes we don't take the time to look back and appreciate our own journeys
So, the next time you’re feeling “stuck in a funk” try looking for moments of awe in these places.
When you do, I would love to hear about them!
I hope you have an awe-inspiring day!
Here for you,
Kate
Sources
1. Monroy, M., & Keltner, D.. Awe as a pathway to mental and physical health - sage journals. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/17456916221094856