I stopped for a moment to enjoy this view in my neighborhood during a morning walk.
Did you know that walking in awe is good for you? A friend sent me an article called “Scientists Asked People To Do 1 Thing Differently While Taking A Walk. The Results Were Astounding” from a podcast called “Am I Doing It Wrong?” from the Huff Post.
I naturally walk with awe. I take my time, stop and take photos. I’m in awe of desert plants, the mountains, the wildlife. I didn’t know I was making myself healthier by being in the moment and walking with awe. But I am! Isn’t that amazing?
Here’s a snippet from the article:
Dacher Keltner is on a mission to fill our lives with more awe.
He has spent the last two decades studying awe, which he says is distinct from joy or fear, and how experiencing it can positively affect our bodies, our relationships with others and how we see and interact with the world around us.
Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and the director of the Greater Good Science Center recently chatted with us — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson, hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast — about his work, specifically why we should try to inject more awe into our lives, and what will happen if we do.
“It’s amazing! It tells us so much about the evolution of the human nervous system,” Keltner, the author of “Awe: The New Science Of Everyday Wonder And How It Can Transform Your Life,” told us. “One region of the brain is deactivated [when we experience awe] — the default mode network. That is where all the self-representational processes take place: I’m thinking about myself, my time, my goals, my strivings, my checklist. That quiets down during awe.”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/awe-walk-wonder-dacher-keltner-2_l_66f84f7ce4b027bd4385f324
When you make a practice of experiencing awe, Keltner said you’ll have more and more awe in your life. Some of the benefits include less inflamation, less pain and better relationships.
Okay guys, let’s get out there and walk in awe. Let go of our to do lists and enjoy the moment in nature.
What are your thoughts of walking in awe?
Is it something you do already or something you’ll try?
