HOLD ON TO YOUR WONDER

 HOLD ON TO YOUR WONDER

After reading some different research articles about always holding on to our wonder, it started to make be wonder...WHY? I found a quote to use on my daily milestone quote on Facebook that was not attributed to anyone. It simply said, "Hold On To Your Wonder." That resonated with me. I never want to give up my wonder. It is almost as if I enjoy and need to wonder in my wandering.

 

Experiencing wonder can leave us feeling inspired and energized, along the lines of gratitude and curiosity. A psychologist defined awe as the wonder we feel when we encounter something so powerful that we can't easily explain. Many times these things that bring us wonder have a vastness and complexity, such as a starry night, a special act of kindness, or the beauty of something small and intricate. Such things as the colors of the leaves or an act of virtuous behavior of others: an act of dedication, skill, or courage. It seems to always be the most simple things.

It is important to cultivate these experiences as they give us hope for our future. Besides the tingling goosebumps or lower heart rate - it may affect us emotionally. A desire to connect with others and our own sense of self may shrink.

Besides reducing stress, research has shown that experiencing something bigger than us helps us frame our reference by stimulating new ways of thinking. This increases creativity and innovation, along with ethical decision making.

The feeling of wonder and awe frequently happens in solitude but with that being said, it also helps us to build relationships. It helps to provide social connection. I remember when my husband worked for a very large corporation he would take walks on the paths among the buildings for informal meetings. Another name for these walks could be named the "awe walks." Sometimes he even went alone and would take twenty minutes of his lunch time to wander and just be curious and observe the everyday beauty around him instead of rushing by. Things like a buzzing bee flitting from flower to flower. After a wonder walk, I am sure that most of us would feel inspired. 

If you are not able to get outside, use the internet and find some happy good news, music to inspire you, or even a simple story of one person making a difference can inspire others around the world. Journal writing about something that took my breath away or just plain made me happy to be on this planet can cause wonderment within me.

Sometimes we spend much of our time trying to stake our claims out to be heard and at times it almost feels counterintuitive to engage in something that might stimulate feelings of our own "smallness." Doing so through a positive experience of wonder can bring us that sense of grounding that we all search for, along with the benefits of energy, inspiration and resilience for ourselves.