I wrapped the egg sandwiches in foil and jammed a stack of them in a brown bag. Threw oranges into another bag and filled my travel mug with strong coffee. Then I woke our daughter.
We were in the car by 5:30 a.m. driving through the darkness to a minor league baseball stadium to watch the solar eclipse of 2017.
At the stadium, we pulled out our coats and blankets and found a grassy spot on the hill and sat back on the grass to watch the sun come up, just before we would watch it disappear again a couple of hours later. The game started early. Got a couple of innings in before it would become the first baseball game to officially record an “Eclipse Delay.”
Around 10:15 a.m., the moon took a bite out of the sun. The young baseball players dropped their gloves to the ground and sat down in the infield, their eyes pointed toward the sky like the rest of us.
Through our wacky eclipse-viewing glasses that looked like we were preparing for a 3D film, we watched the sun disappear. A breeze stirred around us as the sky darkened until there was a sliver of fire left. Then that disappeared too, and what had been a mild summer morning became cold. We could see our breath as we exhaled.
When the sun went dark, the stadium filled with people lying on the grass and sitting in the bleachers went silent. The hush felt reverent. When the sun reappeared minutes later, we all cheered.
These strangers and I, all rooting for the sun. All grateful for its warmth. Happy to be alive.
Even now, I feel the goose pimples rise on my arms as I write about this.
The experience was awesome.
Awe is a Big Deal
Awe is the feeling we get when we encounter an experience, idea, or philosophy so vast in terms of how we perceive it, that it changes how we think and feel, according to psychological research by Jonathan Haidt and Dacher Keltner.
Awe can arise after hearing a new idea that changes how you think about the world, or after witnessing a stunning natural event or phenomenon, like a volcano erupting or a startling sunset. Awe can be piqued by seeing a baby born or looking at the baby’s perfect little fingers. We can feel awe in a perfect moment that leaves us feeling warm and filled with love and joy for life.
Awe changes us.
The Spark
Awe sparks a variety of physical and psychological changes, according to Keltner and others who study the emotion.
We feel more connected to others and more generous after an awe-filled experience. Our perception of time slows, and we sometimes have greater clarity about our goals and priorities when we are in a state of awe. We also are less interested in money and material items.
Under the influence of awe, we become better critical thinkers, and we are kinder and more generous to one another. Our blood pressure drops, immune function improves. We are healthier, happier people.
How to Feel Awe
It feels good to be connected to the world and each other in this way. So, how can we get more awe in our lives? Here are a few places to look.
Go outside. Look at the world around you. Stare at the mountain poking up into the clouds over the city, watch the hummingbirds feed, smell the air perfumed with spring blooms. Pay attention to the natural world.
Find beauty in the arts. Let a beautiful song wash over you, read a book that you never want to end, and think about the effort of the author to create that experience. Visit galleries and the theater and soak in the way life is expressed through art.
Remember an awesome experience. Hone in on an awesome experience you’ve had. Reflect on it. Remembering awesome moments brings back the awe. Just thinking about the 2017 eclipse brings up my feelings of awe all over again.
Put your hand on your heart, and feel it beat. The way our bodies work, the waterproof nature of our skin, the pathways in our brain, taste buds and eyeballs and the curl of your ear— human beings are awesome. Take a minute to appreciate that.
Slow down and savor. When you move into the world, pay attention, soak it in. Don’t judge it, just notice, and when you notice something that feels good or amazing or lovely or expansive, let yourself fall into it. Savor it. Pause, and then hold onto those good feelings for at least 15 seconds or even a tad bit longer. You will begin to change the neural pathways in your brain to accommodate more joy, more calm, more positivity. More awe.
We didn’t experience the eclipse this week. We weren’t in its path. But I hope you did. This week, I hope you can find the awesome in your life and give yourself over to it. To sit quietly for a minute and take it in—to feel the magic of the universe and the wonder of what it means to be human.
You can change your future by what you do today, right now, says life strategist Hilda Fainsod on this week’s Polly Campbell Simply Said podcast. And the process doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming. Listen now.
Get in touch with Hilda Fainsod, the author of Power Up at https://hildafainsod.com.
Awesome Influencers
My writing buddy Elisabeth has me fired up this week. She wanted something and so she went after it. No excuses. No complaints. She began by exploring options, then learning what she needed to know—investing in classes, talking to others, doing research—and now she is building a business from the ground up. Within months she already has her virtual doors open.
Gold Stars to Elisabeth and her proofreading and editing business E is for Edit this week.
Instead of wishing away our lives, we can transform them. E started with an idea and added effort, knowledge, and action. Now she’s got a business. Well done.
Looking for a proofreader? Elisabeth is helping me edit, proofread, and improve my work. Give her a call.
It’s time. Today, lean into the things you want to experience in your life. The things you want to create. Just because you haven’t done them yet doesn’t mean it’s too late.
Take the next right action today to move toward something you’ve always wanted to do. It’s invigorating.
Now, get after it.
Be Well, Friends.
-p