How Awe and Wonder Reconnect Us to What Matters Most

On a recent solo trip, I found myself suspended in the early morning sky above Cappadocia, Turkey, in a hot air balloon. The world below was quiet—rolling valleys and volcanic spires painted in the colors of the sunrise.

Out of nowhere, tears welled up. It wasn’t sadness or even happiness. It was something else, something deeper.

That morning, I experienced awe. It was the most “real” thing I had felt in a long time—an emotion that bypassed my mind and went straight to my heart. As a clinical psychologist, I’ve spent years studying emotion, stress, and trauma. But that moment reminded me of something science is only beginning to measure: awe doesn’t just change how we feel—it changes how we exist in the world.

There’s a reason awe is so powerful. Let’s explore why it matters and how you can start experiencing more of it every day.

What Is Awe?

Awe is one of those emotions that’s hard to describe but unmistakable when it happens. It’s that shiver you feel standing before the ocean, the goosebumps on your skin when you hear a powerful piece of music, or the softening in your chest when you witness an act of deep kindness.

Psychologist Dacher Keltner of UC Berkeley defines awe as “the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world.”

It’s the moment our sense of “self” softens in the face of something greater, whether that’s nature, art, spirituality, or human connection.

In contrast, most of our daily lives are dominated by the opposite: micro-stressors. The constant notifications, deadlines, and subtle pressures of performance and comparison. These everyday stressors fragment our attention and narrow our focus until we lose touch with the bigger picture.

Awe, on the other hand, widens the lens. It stretches our sense of time, reminds us of possibility, and restores perspective.

The Science of Awe

In recent years, researchers have begun to study awe not just as a poetic feeling but as a biological event—one with measurable effects on the body and brain.

Experiencing awe, it turns out, can:

• Boost mood and resilience, two important pieces of mental fitness

• Reduce inflammation and calm the nervous system

• Increase heart rate variability (a marker of stress regulation)

• Release oxytocin, the “love hormone” associated with bonding and trust

Awe also has a fascinating psychological effect known as the “small self.” When we experience awe, our usual self-referential thoughts—my to-do list, my worries, my goals—fade into the background. We feel smaller, yes, but also more connected—to others, to nature, to something larger than ourselves.

This shift from self-focus to connection has profound implications for mental health. Studies show that awe can reduce symptoms of stress and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans and at-risk youth. It enhances our sense of belonging, expands our perception of time, and helps us recover from burnout by re-anchoring us in meaning.

As Dr. Keltner writes, awe “is critical to our well-being—just like joy, contentment, and love.” It helps us recalibrate the nervous system, inviting the body back into states of rest, safety, and receptivity.

Why We Need Awe Now More Than Ever

Modern life has left little room for wonder. Our calendars are full, our feeds are endless, and our minds rarely get a moment of stillness. Even vacations can become performance projects, curated and documented for others.

This relentless pace keeps our stress response subtly activated. We get stuck in hyperstress—doing too much, thinking too much, feeling too little.

Awe is a powerful disruptor of that autopilot. It forces a pause, creating a physiological and psychological “reset.” In those moments, we remember what it feels like to simply be.

For me, that morning in Cappadocia wasn’t about escaping life; it was about returning to it. I wasn’t thinking about my inbox or my goals. I was just there, breathless and grateful.

Awe doesn’t erase hardship, but it restores context. It reminds us that our lives are part of something vast, interconnected, and beautiful—and that perspective can soften even the heaviest load.

How to Invite More Awe Into Your Life

You don’t have to fly halfway across the world to experience awe. In fact, research suggests it’s available to us every day. We just have to pay attention.

Here are a few ways to cultivate awe wherever you are:

1. Step outside. Walk by the ocean, watch the clouds shift, or notice the way light filters through trees. Even 15 minutes spent in nature can lower cortisol and heighten feelings of connectedness.

2. Look up. Stargazing, sunrise watching, or even lying in the grass and noticing the sky’s colors—all invite a sense of scale that humbles and expands us.

3. Engage with art and music. Listen deeply to a song that moves you. Visit a museum or gallery. Read poetry aloud. Awe often arrives through creative expression.

4. Practice curiosity. Ask questions. Notice what you don’t understand instead of rushing to define it. Awe lives in the space between knowledge and mystery.

5. Slow down. When we move too fast, we skim the surface of life. Slowing down lets awe find us, whether it’s in the rhythm of your breath or the kindness of a stranger.

6. Let go of control. Not everything meaningful can be planned. The more we release our grip on perfection and productivity, the more wonder we allow in.

Ultimately, awe isn’t rare—it’s our attention that’s rare. When we shift from doing to being, awe reveals itself everywhere.

Closing Reflections

Awe doesn’t fix life. It doesn’t make grief disappear or challenges easier. But it does reorient us to beauty, to humility, to possibility.

My trip to Turkey was a soul reset for me, not because it was perfect, but because it reminded me of what’s possible. Awe reconnected me to my own aliveness.

So if you’ve been feeling detached, overextended, or simply numb, consider this your invitation: Follow your curiosity. Seek beauty. Let wonder find you.

What Next?

Awe is one pathway to cultivating mental fitness—the blend of psychological flexibility, nervous-system regulation, and self-awareness that helps us move through life with more steadiness and ease. If you’re ready to bring that same sense of reconnection into your personal or professional life, here are a few ways we can work together:

• Coaching. Whether you’re beginning your personal growth journey, seeking deep transformation, or striving for peak performance, I provide coaching to help high performers find purpose, regain focus, and re-energize. Book a consultation to get started.

• Workshops and group retreats. From half-day workshops to multi-day retreats, I design experiences that weave psychology, yoga, and nervous-system science into practical tools your group can use right away. Contact me to explore bringing this work to your organization or event.

• Therapy. I offer trauma-informed therapy that integrates evidence-based practice with mind-body wisdom. Schedule a session to start healing old patterns and strengthen your emotional resilience.