An easy way to improve your health and well-being is to simply get more beauty, wonder and awe in your life. And that doesn’t have to be a trip to the grand canyon or a visit to the Taj Mahal. You can get plenty of wonder and awe from everyday life and reap all of the benefits.
Studies suggest that wonder and awe have profound physical and psychological health benefits: Improved mood/happiness/life satisfaction, greater care for others, greater ability to cope with stress, lower markers for inflammation, greater cortical function/critical thinking, decrease sense of materialism, increased humility, expanded perception of time, feeling of greater connection to humanity.
Simple Sources
These sources can come from many places. A nice sunrise or sunset, a book, a piece of music, or a nice conversation are just a few. Or noticing a beautiful flower on your daily walk or butterflies flapping in the breeze can also do the trick. In theory, if you want a greater amount of awe and more health benefits, go bigger. Take in a majestic waterfall or towering mountain range. But you can certainly find it in so many places you encounter in your everyday life.
The key is to actually look. Stop and smell the roses. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Purposefully and proactively get more beauty, wonder and awe in your life. And be more mindful of your surroundings. Getting more beauty in your life goes hand and hand with mindfulness. Because they both will improve your life!
So make it a point every day to take in the tremendous amount of wonder and awe that surrounds you, especially out in nature. Try to get outside and enjoy the many beautiful things nature has to offer. Instead of burying your head in a phone all day or staring at the computer screen, try gazing up at the sky or out through the trees and really see the majesty of the world around you.
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