One of the unexpected benefits of working out early in the morning is the chance to witness breathtaking sunrises 🌅. This morning was one of those days. My first instinct was to capture the moment with a picture 📸, believing it was the only way to preserve and remember it.
That changed about a month ago during a drive to my daughter’s college graduation 🎓. While on the road, I was listening to “The Power of Awe” by Jake Eagle, LPC, and Michael Amster, MD. They introduced a simple yet profound method for finding awe in our daily lives called the A.W.E. Method, which stands for Attention, Wait, and Exhale and Expand. This method encourages us to pause and fully take in and appreciate what we are sensing with our sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and imagination 🌟.
Inspired by this, I began experimenting with the A.W.E. Method during my drive through the Flint Hills of Kansas 🚗. My previous visit to my daughter’s campus had been right after farmers had burned many of the fields 🔥. This time, using the A.W.E. Method, I was able to truly capture the beauty and awe of the earth being reborn 🌱. I marveled at the restored grasses and the lush landscape, all bursting with new life, ready for livestock to graze 🐄. It was a transformative experience.
This morning, and on other similar mornings, I no longer rushed to take a picture. Instead, I took a mental picture, almost painting the nuances of the clouds ☁️, the sun 🌞, and the myriad colors in my mind. This practice has made me more present and calm 🧘. I’ve found myself pausing in front of artwork 🎨, imagining the artist mixing paints and creating each piece with love and care. My world has expanded, my heart has opened ❤️, and my mind is at peace 🕊️.
So, how can you bring AWE into your daily life? By noticing and appreciating the awe and wonder in the smallest things ✨. How quickly will this fill our hearts and minds with love and gratitude for the world and people around us?
