Increase the Awesome

I now recognize the distinctive boisterous chatter of a group of flying swans. It’s my cue to look up to the sky. If I happen to be outside at the right time, I may experience this phenomenon once in a winter. It’s rare. Well, I got very lucky on a sunny day this March break. Against the blue sky I saw not one, but two, large V-shaped formations of swans sailing by. Two “wedges” of swans. Together there were at least 50 birds. I watched the flock glide in unison across the sky until they were out of sight.

Awesome. 

Truly awesome. When the feeling of awe hits me I cherish it. There’s a sense of wonder mixed with gratitude. It’s not a feeling that comes along very often so I appreciate the serendipitous moment. As I learned in a Happiness Lab episode (The Power of Awe….and Where to Find it), awe can be a powerful emotion and help us forget minor worries, and even reduce stress.

I love this take on well-being from one of Dr. Laurie Santos guests:

I personally think there are two ways to make the world a better place. You can decrease the suck and you can increase the awesome.

Simple. Yet not so simple.

The feeling of awe may be a bit mysterious, but there are certain kinds of experiences that tend to foster awe according to research conducted by professor of psychology Dacher Keltner. He suggests you can plan or seek out awe intentionally.

I could relate to some of the “wonders” discussed in the podcast, like live music or art. I may not have been familiar with the term “collective effervescence” when I attended a Pitbull concert last year, but I felt something akin to awe as I looked around the stadium and saw everyone, absolutely everyone, with an arm up bouncing to the beat. The stadium lights pulsating with our collective dance. ♫ One, two, three, four. Uno, dos, tres, cuatro ♫ I don’t tend to get enthralled in a work of art but I did with Tom Thomson’s oil painting The Jack Pine.  I stood still before it as my Mom toured an entire room at the McMicheal Gallery (the painting was on loan from the National Gallery) only to come back around to find me still gazing at the iconic pine tree set against a sublime twilight sky that inexplicably glows.

Nature experiences can incite a feeling of awe, like those enchanting flying swans right in my own backyard. Further afield I recall a jaw dropping moment on the Camino de Santiago. I had walked up a small hill outside of Castrojeriz. At the top, looking west, the Meseta was revealed before me in all in its vastness and awesomeness. Awe doesn’t translate well to a photo, but this was the moment. The landscape felt endless, and I felt very small.

The UN International Day of Happiness is March 20. It recognizes happiness is a fundamental human goal. This year’s theme is caring and sharing. I love there is a day to celebrate happiness. There is so much research and practical tips on how to boost our happiness. The Happiness Lab has over 200 episodes! Happiness boosts may come from birds or a good book, stretching my social fitness or appreciating a friend’s kindness. Or, why not, seeking to increase the awesome.

Wishing you all an awesome international day of happiness.