Hi, my name is Justine Nelson. I’m an Integrative Wellness Coach here at Tahoe Forest Hospital. I focus on mindfulness and tobacco cessation.
If you notice yourself getting caught up in negative thinking or unable to shake stress, then taking a 15-second meditation to focus on the power of awe can be a great tool. The power of awe is a practice that involves consciously bringing to mind something that gives you a sense of joy, gratitude, or wonder.
Studies show that when we’re able to bring something to mind of appreciation, we can actually disrupt the stress cycle, help regulate our mind and body, and use the power of gratitude to help combat negative thinking. And if we build this practice into our everyday life, it not only gets easier to notice things that we’re grateful for but also to use this as a skill to recognize the good among the more challenging aspects of life.
Now I invite you to follow along and practice this with me. To begin, we can think of the acronym A.W.E. First, we want to bring our attention to something that gives us a sense of appreciation. This could be a physical object like a pet, a loved one, or a family member, or maybe it’s a thought of your favorite place in nature or the sunlight hitting your skin.
Then we want to wait, just slow down, and as you breathe, rest your awareness on the sense of appreciation.
And finally, we want to exhale and expand, leaning into this sensation of gratitude. Notice what it feels like to feel gratitude in the body. Notice what it feels like, and notice what your thoughts are when you are observing something that gives you a sense of gratitude and wonder.
And then finally, you can release that thought or image and come back to your surroundings. Hopefully, you feel a bit of a sense of ease and appreciation. Remember that this is a tool you can use when times get tough and turn towards the power of awe.
Thank you so much. Again, my name is Justine Nelson. You can contact the Center for Health on ways to get in touch with me and work with me.
