AN INTERESTING ARTICLE
My husband sent me an article a little while ago that he thought I'd find interesting - his words were "there's a blog post in this..." because he knows me so well - and it immediately drew me in to wanting to have a read, and then (of course!) to share the wisdom about how awe reshapes how we see ourselves.
The study was about people looking more intently and intentionally at the physical world around them, but I think it also applies to our emotional world too - appreciating all that makes up our day to day life.
THE AWE-WALK STUDY
A study asked people to spend fifteen minutes a week walking outdoors while deliberately looking for things that amazed them, and by the eighth week their selfies showed them smaller in the frame and smiling more.
THE SPOTLIGHT EFFECT
Usually, in a selfie the person is the subject and the place is the backdrop. As this particular study progressed, the scenery became less about proof of where the person had been, and took up more space because it felt more relevant.
The author commented that this was a different way of looking at the "spotlight effect" - our tendency to overestimate how closely other people are watching us. The awe-walk study showed that rather than taking themselves out of the spotlight, they could experience something interesting enough that the spotlight mattered less. What we pay attention to really does make a difference to how we interact with the world around us.
WHAT DOES PAYING ATTENTION TO SMALL THINGS DO?
One way to understand awe is that it does not erase the self or solve the concerns waiting at home, but for a few minutes, it changes the scale. The world becomes larger, the self becomes one part of it, and the frame has room for both.
I'm going to make a concious choice to notice the beauty around me as I walk, and wherever possible to find one good thing to take away with me from whatever situation I find myself in. It can be easy to pick fault and to notice the irritations, but how different would our day be if we chose to look past those and to notice the joy, the wonder, the sunshine, the grace, the warmth, and the good that's all around us just waiting to be found?
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Have you noticed any small, amazing, or awesome things lately? I've had two lots of duck families with their little ducklings in tow appear on my FB feed lately - and my heart smiled.
And from my morning walk - three kangaroos chilling out over the road from our house:
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Yes Leanne, it's all about noticing the little things for me too. I love seeing different things as I walk and even looking up through the trees at the sky can provide a real pick-me-up if I need it! Lovely to read of this article.
ReplyDeleteHi Deb - I think that's one of the joys of living outside of a city - we get to walk, ride, drive through the countryside and there's always something fresh to see.
DeleteGod has created such a beautiful world for us to enjoy, from sunsets, sunrise, clouds, trees, flowers, animals, and nature in general. We take it for granted much of the time! I have been going out on a walk and consciously looking at every little thing I pass and feel so grateful to be able to enjoy this wonderful creation....
ReplyDeleteHi - I think that conscious looking is what awe walking is all about. Taking a moment to breathe in the fresh air, to appreciate the seasons, to really look at what's around us - it just brings such a sense of gratitude for me too. We really are blessed to live in this good world aren't we?
DeleteThis is a lovely reminder to notice the good in the world around us, especially when the News is more often that not so negative! It reminded me of my regular walks during the pandemic and noticing the flowers, animals, the sky and so much more! It also reminds me to get out in nature more and how it lifts my mood! Chrissie x
ReplyDeleteHi Chrissie - I think nature is vital for our mood - to see that the world is so big and yet so full of small pleasures that we often miss because we're too busy to take the time to look. The pandemic definitely slowed us down - now we just need to choose to pause instead of having it forced on us. :) x
DeleteI really do need to start doing more of this! I have friends who post pictures from their bike rides - clouds, flowers in bloom, birds. Seeing the little things that brings them joy brightens my day as well.
ReplyDelete