Why do the words "childlike wonder" go so well together? What's wrong with us grownups? Where did OUR wonder go?
Having a sense of wonder means feeling amazed and curious about the world around you. It means being open to new experiences and ideas. It's being able to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the world.
Doesn't that sound worth keeping?
When you have a sense of wonder, you can see the world with fresh eyes. You appreciate small details, and find joy in the simple things. You're engaged and present. You're more open-minded and accepting. You have meaning and purpose.
How did you lose your sense of wonder?
As we age, there are some common culprits that start to dim our view of the world. See if any of these ring true for you.
- Familiarity: When things get too routine, we start to take them for granted, and we get into a rut. It's too easy to think you've "seen it all".
- Stress: Negativity, anxiety, and the ongoing stresses of life can start to drag you down. Your mind is busy managing problems.
- Cynicism: It's natural to experience disappointment, and we learn good lessons each time. But you might start to build up a defense mechanism against disappointment. You might find yourself refusing to see the good in the world.
- Trauma: People who have experienced trauma may have a harder time feeling a sense of wonder. Understandably, they may have developed a more guarded or closed-off outlook on life.
Whatever has brought you down, it's possible to look up again. Losing your sense of wonder isn't permanent. With intention you can regain a sense of awe and appreciation for the world around you.
11 ways to reconnect with your sense of wonder
1. Spend time in nature.
Nature has a way of inspiring awe and wonder, even to the grumpiest of us. Take a walk in the woods, sit by a lake, or watch the sunset.
2. Bring nature indoors.
Even if you can't get outside very often, bring a little nature inside. A cute succulent on your desk. A tray of natural found objects on your nightstand. An open window on a breezy day. Let nature sneak up on you in quiet moments.
3. Travel to new places.
Traveling to new places can help you see the world with fresh eyes and appreciate its diversity. You don't even have to leave the country. Something as simple as taking a different route to work can spark curious new thoughts.
4. Learn something new.
Likewise, take up a new hobby or learning a new skill helps turn your active mind back on. You'll meet new people. You'll think about things differently. You might even have fun!
5. Meditate or practice mindfulness.
A sense of wonder doesn't always have to be about the big world out there. There's a wonderous world inside you, as well. Something as simple as noticing your breath, in and out, can be a captivating experience.
Try this: Pick up a new notebook to capture your mindfulness thoughts.
6. Read books or watch movies that inspire wonder.
This might sound like an obvious question, but, are you constantly looking at depressing things? Read books and watch movies that ignite your imagination. Listen to podcasts that engage your curiosity. Follow social media accounts that share the beauty of the world.
7. Spend time with children.
If you've forgotten what "childlike wonder" means, try seeing the world through the eyes of a child. Children are mindfulness naturals. Watch how they engage with their whole bodies. Watch how they notice the tiny details.
8. Listen to music.
Music can be a powerful way to connect with your emotions and feel a sense of wonder. Sometimes a single song can launch you into an intense wonderment. Revisit the music that you used to love, or branch out into something completely new.
9. Volunteer or give back.
Helping others can knock you out of your routine and help you focus outside of yourself. It can give you a sense of purpose and can you appreciate the goodness in the world.
10. Take a break from technology.
This one probably goes without saying. If you're feeling a lack of wonder you need something new to focus on. Step one is to put down the media that's been sucking all your attention. Sometimes we need to unplug in order to truly connect with the world around us.
11. Practice gratitude.
Taking a minute every day to notice the things you're grateful for is a powerful practice. Life really is wonderful, and the proof is already right in front of you. You simply have to change the way you look for it.
What do you have to lose?
A sense of wonder means curiosity, meaning, purpose, appreciation, joy, peacefulness, hopefulness.
All good stuff!
Isn't it time to get started?
"Kwa nini maneno ""mtu wa ajabu"" yanaambatana vizuri?" Ni nini kibaya na sisi watu wazima? Maajabu Yetu Yalitoka wapi? Kuwa na hisia ya kushangaza kunamaanisha kuhisi kushangazwa na kupendezwa na ulimwengu unaokuzunguka. Inamaanisha kuwa wazi kwa uzoefu mpya na mawazo mapya. Ni kuwa na uwezo wa kuthamini uzuri na utata wa ulimwengu. Je, hilo halionekani kuwa jambo la thamani ya kuhifadhi? Unapokuwa na hisia ya kushangaza, unaweza kuona ulimwengu kwa macho mapya. Unathamini mambo madogo-madogo, na unapata furaha katika mambo sahili. Wewe ni kushiriki na sasa. Wewe ni mwenye akili ya wazi zaidi na unakubali. Una maana na kusudi. Ulipotezaje hisia yako ya kushangaza? Kadiri tunavyozeeka, kuna sababu za kawaida ambazo huanza kuharibu mtazamo wetu wa ulimwengu. Ona ikiwa yoyote ya mambo hayo inakufaa. - Ujuzi: Mambo yanapokuwa ya kawaida sana, tunaanza kuyaona kuwa mambo ya kawaida, na tunaingia katika hali ya kawaida. Ni rahisi sana kufikiri kwamba "umewahi kuona kila kitu". - Mkazo: Hali mbaya, wasiwasi, na mkazo unaoendelea wa maisha waweza kuanza kukushusha chini. Akili yako imejishughulisha na matatizo. - Uhasama: Ni jambo la kawaida kukata tamaa, na kila mara tunajifunza mambo mazuri. Lakini unaweza kuanza kujenga utaratibu wa kujilinda dhidi ya kukata tamaa. Unaweza kujikuta ukikataa kuona mema ulimwenguni. - Mshtuko: Watu ambao wamepatwa na mshtuko wa kihisia-moyo huenda wakaona ni vigumu zaidi kuhisi mshangao. Ni jambo linaloeleweka kwamba huenda wakawa na mtazamo wa kujilinda au wa kujitenga na maisha. Chochote kilichokuangusha, inawezekana kutazama juu tena. Kupoteza hisia yako ya kushangaza si ya kudumu. Kwa nia unaweza kupata tena hisia ya hofu na uthamini kwa ulimwengu unaokuzunguka. Njia 11 za kuwasiliana na hisia yako ya ajabu Tumia wakati katika mazingira ya asili. Asili ina njia ya kuchochea hofu na mshangao, hata kwa wenye hasira zaidi kati yetu. Tembea msituni, kaa kando ya ziwa, au tazama machweo. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Kuleta asili ndani ya nyumba. Hata kama huwezi kwenda nje mara nyingi, kuleta kidogo asili ndani. Juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy juicy Keki ya vitu vya asili vilivyopatikana kwenye meza yako ya usiku. Dirisha lililofunguliwa katika siku yenye upepo. Acha asili ikufikie kwa siri katika nyakati za utulivu. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kusafiri kwenda mahali pengine. Kusafiri kwenda maeneo mapya kunaweza kukusaidia kuona ulimwengu kwa macho mapya na kuthamini utofauti wake. Huna hata haja ya kuondoka nchini. Jambo rahisi kama vile kuchukua njia tofauti ya kwenda kazini laweza kuchochea mawazo mapya ya kupendeza. 4. Uwe na uhakika Jifunze jambo jipya. Vivyo hivyo, kujifunza jambo jipya au kujifurahisha na mambo mapya kunasaidia akili yako iwe na nguvu tena. Utakutana na watu wapya. Utafikiria mambo kwa njia tofauti. Huenda hata ukafurahia! 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Tafakari au ufanye mazoezi ya kuwa makini. Hisia ya ajabu si lazima daima kuwa kuhusu ulimwengu mkubwa nje. Kuna ulimwengu wa ajabu ndani yako, pia. Jambo rahisi kama vile kugundua pumzi yako, ndani na nje, linaweza kuwa uzoefu wenye kuvutia. Jaribu kufanya hivyo kwa kutumia kitabu kipya cha kumbukumbu ili uonyeshe mawazo yako. 6. Uwe na uhakika Soma vitabu au tazama sinema zinazokuvutia. Huenda hilo likaonekana kuwa swali la kawaida, lakini je, wewe hutazama daima mambo yenye kuhuzunisha? Soma vitabu na kutazama sinema ambazo huchochea mawazo yako. Sikiliza podcasts ambazo huvutia udadisi wako. Fuatilia akaunti za mitandao ya kijamii ambazo zinashiriki uzuri wa ulimwengu. 7. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Tumia wakati pamoja na watoto. Ikiwa umesahau maana ya "muujiza wa utotoni", jaribu kuona ulimwengu kupitia macho ya mtoto. Watoto ni watu wa asili wenye uangalifu. Angalia jinsi wanavyojihusisha na miili yao yote. Angalia jinsi wanavyoona mambo madogo-madogo. 8. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Sikiliza muziki. Muziki unaweza kuwa njia yenye nguvu ya kuunganisha na hisia zako na kuhisi hisia ya ajabu. Nyakati nyingine wimbo mmoja tu waweza kukufanya ujishangaze sana. Rudia muziki uliopenda zamani, au ongeza fikira kwenye muziki mpya kabisa. 9. (a) Kwa nini? Kujitolea au kutoa nyuma. Kusaidia wengine kunaweza kukupunguza na kukusaidia kukazia fikira mambo mengine. Inaweza kukupa hisia ya kusudi na unaweza kuthamini wema katika ulimwengu. Kumi. Chukua mapumziko kutoka kwa teknolojia. Yaelekea jambo hili halihitaji kuelezwa. Kama wewe ni kuhisi ukosefu wa ajabu unahitaji kitu kipya kuzingatia. Hatua ya kwanza ni kuondoa vyombo vya habari ambavyo vimekuwa vikivuta umakini wako wote. Wakati mwingine tunahitaji kuondoa plagi ili kuungana kweli na ulimwengu unaotuzunguka. 11. (a) Kwa nini? Jizoeze kuwa mwenye shukrani. Kuchukua dakika moja kila siku kugundua mambo unayofurahi ni mazoezi yenye nguvu. Maisha ni mazuri sana na uthibitisho wa hilo uko mbele yako. Ni lazima tu ubadilishe jinsi unavyoitafuta. Una nini cha kupoteza? "Hisi ya ajabu inamaanisha ""upendezi, maana, kusudi, uthamini, furaha, amani, matumaini.""" Vitu vyote vyema! Je, si wakati wa kuanza?