Since researching and learning more about the intricacies of ‘wonder’, I’ve realised that while I love all the elements described by Parker in ‘The Power Of Wonder’, it’s the two which bookend everything else that really get me excited (well, more excited to be precise, as they all get my heart racing when I read about them - in pure giddiness for how I can use them to help people live a better life!).
✨ First the simple act of ‘watching’ - noticing what’s around me like a secret detective finding things no one has seen, despite them being in plain sight! I LOVE that about wonder.
✨ But I also get an extra spring in my step when we move to the last element, and the concept of AWE.
March's creative thinking theme:
THE ELEMENTS OF WONDER
Element 4 - WOW & WHOA (awe)
For a long time now, I’ve known that my ultimate happy place is in the 🤍mountains🤍 - the idyllic log cabin, fire burning, the lake in front of it and a majestic mountain scene behind. And I’ve always felt that feeling of ‘awe’ when I’m there.
I’ve tried to reflect on why this impacts me so much:
Firstly in the way I feel small and ‘one of many’ when looking up at the mountain range, and then;
Secondly, the ‘I’m on top of the world!’ / ‘I can take on anything!’ feeling I get when I’m at the top!
Both are incredible feelings.
Left: Our family trip to the Austrian mountains in 2017; Right: A walk up Snowdon last year ⛰️
In fact, while writing this, I’ve come to realise that those two feelings of awe fit well into the two phases that Parker talks of: wow and whoa.
The ‘wow’ moment happens when I’m feeling the ‘vastness’ of the mountains. As Parker writes: "when something so moving has grabbed us and made us feel like a small piece of a much bigger world.” (This is EXACTLY the emotion I feel in that situation.)
The ‘whoa’ moment, Parker terms ‘accommodation’ (but not the log cabin Airbnb!). It’s that time when our brain tries to make sense of the ‘wow’ moment - to ‘accommodate’ the thoughts and experience - and our perception and view of the world then changes as a result.
But awe is very individual - what I find awe-inspiring, you might find scary, or what you find incredible, I might find boring. But that’s the beauty of it too, right?
Creative Thinking Prompt (w/c 25 March 2024)
So this week, wonder about what makes you feel in awe.
It could be in nature, music, art, or a person, a speech, an impressive challenge achieved, or even just the tiniest moment of someone’s confidence, a smell, a beautiful shared experience…
And if you love how you feel when you experience awe - GO AND EXPERIENCE IT, or at least plan to.
Life is for living, and I’d encourage you togo and find your awe in order to ignite even more wonder and creativity within you.
"[S]He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe,
is as good as dead; his [her] eyes are closed."
Albert Einstein
How will this month's prompts impact your creativity?
Wonder is the precursor to creativity. It is magical yet equally scientific. It's what everyone in history has done in order to advance in the world, invent new things, innovative concepts, and world-changing revelations. By breaking wonder down into its elements, we are able to really see how to be more wondrous in our daily lives - which elements we find easy and which we perhaps struggle with. It will be an enlightening month of creative thinking, wondering about our wondering, and seeing how this helps with our work, our parenting, and our own creativity and wellbeing.
P.S. Anyone up for a Wonder Club retreat in the mountains? Hit REPLY and I'll MAKE IT HAPPEN!! ⛰️❤️
P.P.S Don't forget this great definition of wonder:
“Wonder makes us more creative and more desirous of studying the world around us. It makes us humble, less materialistic, more generous, and better community members… Wonder makes us less stressed and feel like we have more time… Wonder quite simply makes us want to be better, more tolerant people.”(Parker, 2023)
📸: Trips up mountains - anyone else's happy place?
