An emergency brake to get out of your own head

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Imagine having an emergency brake to get out of your own head. Imagine being stuck in worry, rumination or choice paralysis and being able to take 10 or 15 seconds to pause, and upon your return, you can see from a fresh perspective.

What sort of sorcery is this??

It sounds like the ultimate remedy for stuckness — and way too good to be true!

And yet, this only scratches the surface of the claims made by researchers into the science of awe.

Experimental evidence has shown that not only can experiences of awe draw us out of worried and judgmental thinking, awe can help reduce depression and anxiety, ease chronic pain and promote caring relationships. Awe can have long-lasting healing effects on our nervous systems.

Plus, awe is free, and all around us.

“The world is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” - W. B. Yeats

So what is awe, and how do you get more of it?

Awe is that feeling of goosebumps and chills that might make us lift our heads, with tears collecting in the corners of our eyes, and whisper “woah”.



We find awe in nature, in music, in community. (Remember the guy skipping stones on a frozen lake? He was in awe.) We find awe in others’ kindness, courage or overcoming adversity. We find awe in large groups moving together in unison, in dance or at sports events.

Awe is the feeling that you are experiencing something larger, wider, deeper than yourself. Awe can be big and dramatic like a waterfall, the Grand Canyon, or a double rainbow, but it can also be small and everyday.

I find awe in music. I get chills when I listen to David Draiman sing The Sound of Silence.

I find awe in stories. I love to read aloud Amal El-Mohtar’s story The Truth About Owls. I get choked up every time I read it. I feel tears hovering when I just say the title aloud.

I find awe when I look closely at the knurled bark of a tree and it transforms before my eyes into a vast mountain range, or I look at the intricate vein pattern in a leaf and I’m seeing a river delta.


What is the 10-15 second practice?


I invite you to listen to this podcast episode from Ten Percent Happier.

How to Meditate If You Have No Time to Meditate


In the episode Jake Eagle and Michael Amster describe their A.W.E. practice. It takes 10 to 15 seconds, and you don’t need any preparation so you can do it anywhere and anytime, making it very ADHD-friendly.


A stands for Attention

W stands for Wait

E stands for Exhale and Expand


Choose to pay attention to something you appreciate, value or find amazing. It could be an object in the room that is precious or meaningful. It could be a memory, a sensation or an idea.


Wait at least the length of one full breath. (Breathe. You don’t have to hold your breath.) Lean into the object of your attention.


Exhale slowly, paying attention to your out-breath, letting the feeling inside you expand outwards.


Try it. How do you feel?


I feel in awe of awe. Every time I learn something new about the human brain and body, it feels like I’m opening a set of matryoshka nesting dolls. Every layer is more intricate, beautiful and fascinating.


How rare it is to find something that feels good and is also good for you!


Thanks for being here. You matter.





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