The Power of Feeling Small

Recently I traveled to Arizona, and on my return flight back to Atlanta I had the privilege of sitting next to a gentleman named Thomas. I was the middle seat, and Thomas had the window. For most people, the window seat is coveted as it allows you to look out at the vast sky and landscape below as you travel through the air from one destination to the next…for Thomas, this was not the case. With his belongings clutched to his chest, he quickly looked at me before taking off and said “I’m not too sure about this seat…” implying that the view from 30,000 feet in the air will be more unsettling than pleasant. I gently attempted to ease his anxieties by sharing with him that he has been given the opportunity to see the world from a different angle–one that only ⅓ of the plane will truly be able to enjoy. Thomas was in his 60s and described himself as a “nomad-type, a weary traveler” and shared with me that he had not been on an airplane since he was a young boy. Throughout the process of taking off, I observed Thomas as tight, tense, unsure, and uncomfortable by the uncertainties of traveling via airplane. Once we got to about 10,000 feet above ground, I saw Thomas glance out of the window, and I followed suit–with me peering over his shoulder and him millimeters from touching his nose to the window, we gazed at the Arizona landscape. Beautiful hues of orange, red, and brown. Rigid mountain peaks and valleys, cut by the tiniest of streams. There we were, strangers and complete opposites, both gazing in amazement at the ground below. Slowly, Thomas turned towards me and quietly confessed, “This brings water to my eyes” and I replied “you’re not the only one”. 

That is awe. Awe is an emotion…an experience marked by both intense soul-satisfaction and discomfort. According to Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at UC Berkeley, it is a mental state that we experience when we encounter a vast mystery that is beyond comprehension. Today’s research argues that awe is experienced less and less by Americans. When you encounter something that elicits a feeling of awe and/or wonder (a state of mind that makes you stop and ask questions about the world) you simultaneously experience a shrinking of the self–you quite literally begin to feel small. For some, that may be a terrifying concept, but current research shows that there is immense power in feeling small. Even humbled. When we begin to have this shift in perspective, we see ourselves as inhabitants of an already created world–rather than individual creators striving to control the uncontrollable world around us. We become a piece of a much bigger puzzle. When we begin to pursue moments of awe and allow ourselves to receive the power which resides in the mysteries of the world, we become receptive to all of its benefits. With awe, we become more connected individuals to ourselves, others, and the world. The inner voice of negative self-talk or destructive thinking begins to quiet as we look for answers to questions beyond ourselves. Awe decreases stress related to everyday struggles, improves a greater sense of wellbeing, enhances the feeling of connectedness, decreases bodily inflammation, and engages the vagal nerves to allow the body to enter into a state of rest. In a society that praises individualism, intense work ethic, instant gratification, convenience, and consumerism, it can seem as though a concept like awe is obsolete. Take the time to figure it out for yourself. Travel to the bucket-list destination, marvel at the miracle of child-birth, attend a music festival or concert, observe the elements of the earth with detail, admire the compassion of humanity when you see those in need provided for, stare at the stars and engage your child-like curiosity. Whatever elicits awe in your life, actively pursue it and allow yourself to feel small in the best of ways. For Thomas, it was seeing the world from an entirely new perspective, for me, it was seeing Thomas experience something awesome for the first time. Awe is contagious, and as you experience it so will those around you.

By Caroline Lowe