Late spring opens the door to summer travel, and for many people that means trips to national parks, beaches, mountains and other wide-open places. Most of us come home from those places saying something like, “It put things in perspective.” That reaction is more than a figure of speech. It has a name: awe.
What awe is
Researchers who study emotion generally describe awe as the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that stretches our usual way of understanding the world. A towering canyon, a thunderstorm rolling across the plains, a night sky far from city lights, a soaring piece of music, an act of extraordinary courage. Awe is the sense of encountering something bigger than ourselves.
One of the more consistent findings in this research is what some scientists call the “small self.” In moments of awe, people tend to feel smaller and less focused on their own concerns. That might sound unpleasant, but most people describe it as a relief. The worries that loomed so large don’t disappear, but they shrink to a more manageable size.
Why it helps in a hard season
When you are going through a setback, your world can narrow. The problem fills your mind, and every conversation seems to circle back to it. Awe interrupts that narrowing. It reminds you that the world is larger and older than your current trouble, and that you are part of something that will keep going.
Studies have also linked experiences of awe with feeling more connected to other people and more inclined toward generosity. When the self feels smaller, others come more clearly into view.
None of this makes awe a treatment for anything. If you are dealing with persistent anxiety or depression, a doctor or counselor is the right place to start. But as one part of a full life, awe is worth seeking out.
Finding it this summer
Awe doesn’t require a plane ticket. It requires attention.
- Visit a big landscape. National parks, state parks and wilderness areas are made for this. If you are planning a park trip, check nps.gov for current conditions, reservations and alerts before you go.
- Look up. Find a dark spot on a clear night and give your eyes time to adjust to the stars.
- Watch the weather. From a safe place, a summer storm building on the horizon is one of nature’s great shows.
- Take an awe walk. Walk somewhere familiar and deliberately look for things that surprise you: old trees, light through leaves, the scale of a bridge.
- Seek out human greatness. Music, architecture, a museum or the story of someone’s remarkable courage can stir the same feeling.
Bringing it home
The perspective awe offers can fade once you are back at your desk. To hold onto it, write a few sentences soon afterward about what you saw, how it felt and what suddenly seemed less important. Keep a photo where you will see it. When the old worries crowd in again, remember the canyon, the ocean or the stars. They are still out there, still enormous, and your problems are still smaller than they look.
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