{"id":18665,"date":"2024-12-13T18:21:46","date_gmt":"2024-12-14T01:21:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/?p=18665"},"modified":"2025-03-23T20:41:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T03:41:46","slug":"unlock-everyday-awe-and-transform-the-way-you-see-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/golf\/lifestyle\/18665\/unlock-everyday-awe-and-transform-the-way-you-see-the-world","title":{"rendered":"Unlock Everyday Awe and Transform the Way You See the World"},"content":{"rendered":"

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(Photo by Robert S. Fagan)<\/em><\/h3>\n

Unlocking Awe: Breaking Through Obstacles to Rediscover Wonder<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Awe is that elusive, goosebump-inducing feeling that makes the world seem bigger and our worries smaller. It\u2019s what you experience when standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, witnessing a breathtaking sunrise, or hearing a story that sends shivers down your spine. And no, it doesn’t have to be found far away or in someone else’s life, it’s all around us waiting for us to notice. Awe reminds us we\u2019re part of something vast, mysterious, and profoundly beautiful. But here\u2019s the kicker: in our busy, hyperconnected lives, awe is often pushed aside, boxed out by schedules, distractions, and the constant ping of notifications.<\/p>\n

The good news? Awe hasn\u2019t gone anywhere. It\u2019s still out there, just waiting for you to notice. The obstacles to discovering awe are often self-imposed, and with a few shifts in perspective, you can bring it back into your life in full force.<\/p>\n

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Obstacle 1: Over-Scheduling and Under-Stopping<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We live in a culture that glorifies busyness. Our calendars are packed tighter than a rush-hour subway car, leaving little room for the unscripted moments where awe tends to sneak in. When was the last time you sat still, not because you had to, but because you wanted to? The constant drive to do, achieve, and optimize can make awe feel like a luxury rather than a necessity.<\/p>\n

Philosopher Alan Watts captured this perfectly: \u201cThe art of living\u2026 is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging to the past on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment.\u201d<\/em> In other words, awe requires slowing down and creating space for it to show up.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/strong> Practice the art of doing nothing\u2014or at least less. Leave gaps in your day for unstructured wandering, curiosity, or simply sitting outside and watching the world unfold. It\u2019s in these pauses that awe often makes its entrance. The best time managers make time for rest, relaxation, and doing nothing.<\/p>\n

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Obstacle 2: The Screen Blockade<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s face it: our devices are awe-killers. Staring at a screen all day narrows your field of vision to a few inches, making it easy to miss the grandeur happening right outside your window. The problem isn\u2019t technology itself; it\u2019s how it consumes our attention.<\/p>\n

As psychologist Nicholas Carr warns in The Shallows<\/em>, \u201cThe Net seizes our attention only to scatter it.\u201d<\/em> Awe demands focus and presence, two things the digital world rarely offers.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/strong> Set boundaries with your devices. Try an \u201cawe walk\u201d where you leave your phone behind and let yourself marvel at the details of the world\u2014leaves rustling, birds singing, clouds shifting. Trust me, Instagram will still be there when you get back. So make time for a walk outside with your devices off.<\/p>\n

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Obstacle 3: Familiarity Breeds Complacency<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When was the last time you really looked at the stars, the trees in your neighborhood, or even the smile of someone you love? Familiarity can dull our sense of wonder. We stop noticing the extraordinary in the everyday because we assume we\u2019ve seen it all before.<\/p>\n

As poet Mary Oliver reminds us, \u201cTo pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.\u201d<\/em> Awe often hides in plain sight; the challenge is training yourself to notice it.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/strong> Cultivate a beginner\u2019s mindset. Pretend you\u2019re seeing the world for the first time, like a traveler in a foreign land. Notice the patterns on a leaf, the rhythm of your breathing, or the intricate architecture of your morning coffee foam. Awe isn\u2019t always about grand spectacles\u2014it\u2019s often found in the small, overlooked details. As a photographer, I have challenged myself to observe my home area as a fortunate tourist would — with new eyes.<\/p>\n

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Obstacle 4: The Cynical Brain<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve all been there. You\u2019re standing in front of something magnificent\u2014a painting, a sunset, or a natural wonder\u2014and instead of awe, you feel\u2026 nothing. The cynical part of your brain whispers, \u201cWhat\u2019s the big deal? I\u2019ve seen better.\u201d<\/em> Awe struggles to break through when we approach the world with skepticism or a sense of \u201cbeen there, done that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/strong> Check your cynicism at the door. Approach the world with gratitude and humility. Try saying, \u201cWow\u201d<\/em> out loud, even if it feels silly. Neuroscience tells us that verbal expressions of awe can amplify the emotion. Let go of the need to understand or categorize everything. Just let it be.<\/p>\n

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Obstacle 5: The Awe-Is-Special Fallacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many people think awe requires an epic backdrop: the Himalayas, the Sistine Chapel, or a total solar eclipse. But waiting for these rare moments means missing out on the everyday awe that\u2019s just as powerful. The truth is awe doesn\u2019t discriminate. It can be found in the mundane as easily as the monumental.<\/p>\n

Author and professor Dr. Dacher Keltner writes in Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life<\/em>, \u201cAwe is everywhere. It\u2019s a matter of paying attention to the right details.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Solution:<\/strong> Start looking for \u201cmicro-awe.\u201d Watch a child discovering something new, feel the crispness of a cool breeze, or marvel at the colors in a fruit bowl. Awe is as much about perspective as it is about the subject. Expand and extend your awareness.<\/p>\n

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Rediscovering Awe<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Awe isn\u2019t something you can force, but you can create conditions that make it more likely to show up. It’s a heightened and different sense of awareness. By slowing down, breaking free from screens, embracing curiosity, and shedding cynicism, you open yourself to the wonder that surrounds you. And when you do, life feels richer, fuller, and more connected. As Albert Einstein once said, \u201cHe who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe is as good as dead.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Pause. Look up. Take it in. Awe is waiting for you\u2014right here, right now.<\/p>\n

Bob Fagan has just published\u00a0“The Little Book of Questions That Matter — A Lifetime Companion For Transforming Your Life.”\u00a0It is available on Amazon. All proceeds through 2025 will be donated to charity.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Photo by Robert S. Fagan) Unlocking Awe: Breaking Through Obstacles to Rediscover Wonder Awe is that elusive, goosebump-inducing feeling that… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":18684,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2107,2109,18],"tags":[4392,4683,1044348,1046008,895785,1046123,1046124,1046125,1046126,1046127],"class_list":["post-18665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coaching","category-life-coaching","category-lifestyle","tag-awareness","tag-time","tag-awe","tag-wonder","tag-einstein","tag-stopping","tag-scheduling","tag-dacher-keltner","tag-nicholas-carr","tag-alan-watts"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2024\/12\/IMG_0049.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18665"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18962,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18665\/revisions\/18962"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/robertfagan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}