It’s Hard to Photograph Awe – When to Leave the Phone at Home
It is good for mental health to watch a sunrise without trying to photograph it (although someone did a good job of capturing this moment).
My family had an incredible experience recently. We were on a boat in Tampa Bay, and we saw the familiar dorsal fin and sleek flank of a dolphin in the near distance. We slowed the boat, and suddenly, a pod of dolphins surrounded us. A mother and calf performed in tandem; they leaped from the water and beat their tail fins on the surface. It was hard to see everything as the pod lept and splashed around the boat. When they began swimming at the boat, diving under, and coming up the other side, it got a little scary. The display of prowess, gleaming strength, and mass was the definition of awesome and nearly impossible to photograph.
ย “adjective: awesome, extremely impressive, or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear.”ย
It’s Hard to Photograph Awe
The fact is, the feeling of awe is hard to photograph. My favorite definition of “awe” is by Dacher Keltner, Ph.”., “Awe is encountering vast mysteries we don’t understand.” The feeling of awe is often associated with physical immensity and rarity. Awe stops you in your tracks and makes your jaw drop. The dolphin encounter made me feel small but also a part of the vast universe. You’re not in a position to hop on a boat in a tropical climate? American Psychological Association (APA) shows that with the right outlook (and a bit of practice), one can experience wonder in almost any place. Simply put, awe is good for your mental health. The APA says that feelings of awe “…reduces self-focus, promotes social connection, and fosters prosocial actions by encouraging a small self.”
I have been studying awesomeness since the late 90s when I opened an airplane window while jetting to Russia and was shocked to see the pulsing chartreuse lights of the Aurora Borealis. Awe walks, fostering feelings of awe in group therapy, and putting down the phone for a couple of hours to wonder at a sunrise will clear the head. Thinking beyond oneself can broaden creativity, empathy, and perspectives. For those in recovery, awe positively impacts and bolsters living in the moment and mindfulness practice.
An Awe Walk HOW-TO
- Start by silencing your cell phone and tucking it away.
- Going on an awe walk is not the time to solve a work problem or that argument with your significant other โ remember to look outward, not inward.
- Take a moment to get in the “right” frame of mind to look at things in a fresh light.
- Take a deep breath in and out.
- Begin to walk. Feel your feet and experience the sights, sounds, and smells.
- Focus on the vast and the small (e.g., from the Lake Michigan horizon to a single bloom on a flowering bush on the shore).
- Look up. Look down. Awe is everywhere!
- Experience what you are seeing without taking a photo. (This may be impossible if you happen upon a deer dancing on two legs or the northern lights, but awe is tough to capture on film.)
- Recount what you have seen in a journal or tell someone what you have seen and relive the experience.
For more on AWE WALKS, CLICK HERE.
Natural Dopamine โ 27 Things to Do Instead of Scroll
If you practice awe, there can be a wow factor for smaller things (e.g., a hovering hummingbird, a dappled forest of tall trees, or the accomplishment of a loved one). Of course, you are more likely to experience awe in an unfamiliar place, but some locations (like Lake Michigan at sunrise) are constantly changing and new. There are many natural ways to experience awe and boost positive brain chemicals without picking up your phone and looking at the world through a lens. We have thought up 27 feel-good options to try for a natural dopamine release! (These ideas are also great for those in recovery!)
1. Exercise
There is a reason most conversations about mental health include physical activity. Getting your body moving helps increase dopamine levels and well-being.
2. Read our article on the benefits ofย “Aweย Walks” and then go for one.
3. Take the kids for an ice cream cone!
Yes, eating ice cream can trigger dopamine. Add the communal aspect of walking to the shop and holding a child’s hand, and you will have a triple whammy!
4. Pet your puppy or go to a treatment center with a therapy dog.
We want to praise our therapy dog, Apollonia. Apol is an adorable Corgi who earns her keep by comforting Sanford’s clients and giving them a dopamine rush! Click the photo to read all about the brain benefits of loving a dog.
5. Get a good night’s sleep
Getting aย great night’s sleep helps regulate dopamine levels and create feelings of alertness (to awesome experiences) and well-being.
6. Go to an AA meeting!
Sharing, making amends, and belonging to a community are all good for yourย brain chemicals.
7. Finish a project or cross something off your TO DO List.
For 20 more ideas sans cell phone, CLICK HERE.
Fostering Feelings of Awe in Group Therapy
What gives you feelings of awe? When asked in a therapy group at Sanford Behavioral Health, the first items are usually related to nature because Michigan is a wonderland to many of us! Lake Michigan is discussed in detail, and the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lake Shore is mentioned. Individuals may have unique information to share regarding current space exploration discoveries, favorite hiking trails, fishing spots, and national parks. Slowly, everyone in the room leans into the topic of โ””at awes us,โ””nd magic occurs.
Group members name experiences, events, and things that I could not have predicted. There are stories of loved ones striving and living up to their potential, of being proud parents, and of watching others succeed. Poetry, visual art, Broadway singers, laughter with family, gratitude, and the written word are also mentioned. Profoundly, the awe of being in recovery is explored as an awesome experience!
For more on awe in group therapy, CLICK HERE.
Addressing a mental health problem or finding a counselor to help identify and manage stressors can provide benefits that ultimately increase dopamine levels and lead to a better, self-directed, and happier life. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, eating disorders, or co-occurring mental health conditions, dddon’twaitto change your life โ click the link below to speak with a Sanford Behavioral Health admissions specialist.
