My last blog was published in February 2023. To say it’s been a year would be an understatement. I almost feel like I forgot how to write. But I’m up for the challenge today. I want to tell you about a book I finally finished – The Power of Awe.
In January, I received an email from a book publicity service asking if I wanted to read a book. They described it as a book that would give me “a five- to fifteen-second, three-step process for “micro-dosing mindfulness”. I was in! I’ve been very into mindfulness in a very unconventional way for years. Something quick and to the point was right up my alley. They sent me the book and then it felt like my life fell apart.
In March 2023, I went to my routine vision exam and received bad news. I found out my eyesight in one eye was pretty much in the gutter. In my right eye, I was born with a cataract and a coloboma [basically a miss-shaped pupil]. I had a follow up with a surgeon for cataract surgery and then learned my retina was about to tear. Needless to say, I was not in the mood to read. But I needed this tool that the authors Jake Eagle, LPC and Michael Amster, MD offered in this book. I tried my best to read a few pages every night. Unfortunately, a book that should have taken me days to read took me months. Now that I’ve finished, I can truly say, it came to me at the right time in my life.
The Power of Awe has the following subtitle:
Overcome burnout & anxiety, ease chronic pain, find clarity & purpose – in less than 1 minute per day
I was skeptical. I’ve tried meditation, yoga, deep breathing and all these activities work for just a short amount of time. Awe was something I hadn’t tried, though.
Jake and Michael break down awe into three parts:
- A – Attention
- W – Wait
- E – Exhale and Expand
Essentially, pay attention to what’s happening in and around you. Wait to see how you feel and figure out what’s happening. Exhale your breath and expand your thoughts. I could do this… Maybe..
As I read the book, I tried to practice the power of awe. I always practice gratitude, but awe was something different. In my everyday life, I’d try feel inspired by seemingly ordinary things. Having the temperature of my hot coffee be just right, for example. It was simple things like this that I would normally just blow right by. This acknowledgement was only the beginning.
I started to take it a step further. In the book, there are two points the master:
- To identify the meaning behind the stimulus that triggers us based on our state of mind
- To change that meaning
As an Enneagram 1/Type A personality, I get triggered when rules are followed. It throws me into an anxious state and sometimes it takes me awhile to come down. The power of awe taught me to take a moment to breathe, which slows me down, and then allows me to interpret what I’m perceiving. Woah… Mind blown! Since I started practicing the power of awe, I’ve noticed I’m reacting to life differently.
Awe helps encourage curiosity [to learn about my inner workings], inspires me [to do better every day], stops the ticker tape in my brain, calms me down, and keeps me in the present. After reading The Power of Awe, I’ve realized being more mindful doesn’t have to look a certain way. I just have to practice awe.
To obtain more information and get your own copy of The Power of Awe, go to their website.