Train Yourself to be in awe of the subtle, and you will live in a world of beauty and ease. ~Rodney Yee
Once in a huge while, a Pileated woodpecker visits our backyard suet feeder. As one of the most striking forest birds on the continent, I’m always filled with awe when I unexpectedly see this large black bird, with white stripes down its neck and a flaming-red crest. For a time, my spirit is calmed and my attention is diverted from whatever I might have been thinking or doing.
In his newly published book, Awe:The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life (2023)*, author and psychologist Dachner Keltner, says that moments of awe are critical to our well-being. Such moments calm our nervous system, slowing our heart rate and deepening our breathing. Being in awe also gets us out of our own heads and quiets negative self-talk as we realize our place in the larger universe.
Dr. Keltner, suggests that awe can be a part of everyday life if we do some of the following: 1) Pay attention and be curious—awe is all around us in sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and sensations if we only take notice. 2) Choose the unfamiliar—listen to a different genre of music, or choose an unfamiliar route to work or when out for a walk. 3) Notice the beauty and good deeds of others, even the small efforts of those in our care. When I worked as a hospice nurse, I was filled with awe again and again as I witnessed the everyday acts of kindness and courage in my patients and family members.
What have been your moments of awe recently? How have these moments contributed to your well-being as a caregiver? You might want to start a journal tracking such times!
Rebecca Hauder BSN, M.Ed.