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Awestruck This week’s trek is inspired by UC Berkeley Professor Dacher Keltner's research on the biological effects of awe. His research has shown that regular experiences of awe and reverence are beneficial beyond making us feel warm and fuzzy. You know that moment when you feel goosebumps coming on because you are witnessing something totally amazing? Moments like that leave us feeling boundless, expansive and appreciative of life's abundant beauty. In fact, experiencing awe can have a positive influence on your overall health and life expectancy. In addition, science has shown that brief moments of awe "lead people to be more altruistic, less entitled, more humble and aware of the strengths of others, and less stressed by the challenges of daily living." Introducing Your Awestruck Exercise What It Is A 15-minute moment to infuse your week with a little bit of awe and maybe even some goosebumps. Why We Love It  When you've got a lot on your plate and you're constantly optimizing for productivity you sometimes lose opportunities to find moments that make you feel bigger than yourself. This exercise provides an easy way to bring more awe to your week. How It Works 1. Find a space at your office or near your home that has a little bit of nature going on and schedule 15 minutes to chill out in that area. Once you get there, find a spot to sit and come to your breath by taking a few inhalations and exhalations with about six counts allocated to each. 2. Notice your feet on the ground and the sounds that surround you. Shift your awareness to notice things that surprise and delight, feel vast, or might be a bit unexpected. 3. Take a minute to indulge your senses in one of those things you noticed in #2. What sensations arise for you? What do you hear, see, and feel? For some that might be the soft roll of footsteps or birds chirping by. For others it could be noticing small patterns on a leaf or nearby tree. 4. Shift your focus back to your breath and take a few more inhalations and exhalations on a count of six. Allow any emotions or feelings that surfaced to move through your body. Ask yourself: - What emotions or sensations showed up for me during this exercise? - How might I carry this sense of awe and wonder throughout my day? Source: Mindful.org Want to dig deeper into this topic? To learn more about how cultivating a sense of wonder makes for better leaders, read this from Thrive. For an overview of the findings of Keltner's research, watch this YouTube video. For more tips on how to spark a sense of wonder, check this out. For a deep dive on what makes awe such a powerful emotion, watch this from Keltner. Have a favorite trek?  Hit us up at treks@lifetrekkers.me and tell us which one you liked and what you learned! Here's what your fellow trekkers have to say about past treks: "Listen Up was one of my favorite treks. It helped me rethink how I engage in conversations and understand what it really takes to actively listen." - Shankar Desai, Group Manager @ Google Tweet Tweet Email Us Learn More Copyright © 2018 LifeTrekkers, All rights reserved. Want more information? Drop us a line at info@lifetrekkers.me. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can unsubscribe from this list.