Awesome! Totally awesome!
Jeff Spicoli, Fast Times at Ridgemont High
In the early 1980s everything and anything good was deemed “awesome!” A product of my generation, I still catch myself saying it, but I have mostly stopped saying “gnarly” and “gag me with a spoon.” Mostly.
It turns out a little more “awe” in our lives is good for us, according to a 2018 white paper from Berkeley. The feeling of awe — only recently identified as a separate emotion in the human experience — is beneficial for our overall well-being. Awe is difficult to define and to describe. It’s the sense of wonder and amazement that comes from holding a newborn, standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, or watching an eclipse. It transcends our limited personal perspective and reminds us of our place in the universe, and our connection to others.
Whatever it is you find awe-inspiring, make more room for it in your life. According to the Berkeley paper, “When it comes to psychological effects, studies have found that awe can create a diminished sense of self (an effect known as “the small self”), give people the sense that they have more available time, increase feelings of connectedness, increase critical thinking and skepticism, increase positive mood, and decrease materialism.”
Awesome, dude.
By Niki Turner | [email protected]
