Where to Find Wonder When You’ve Been There, Done That

It’s hard to determine exactly when we lose touch with our ability to see wonder in the world. As small kids, almost everything can induce an awe-inspired WOW. And then somewhere along the way — perhaps beginning in the eye-rolling teens, or maybe when we enter the daily grind of adult stress — it’s gone. Our blinders go up, and the anti-amazement filter kicks in.

Whether it’s from being stuck in a rut of all work and no play, or you see no value in switching up your day to day, a life lived without wonder can create a wall around your soul that keeps you from fully experiencing everything around you.

If you’re ready to break free from that wall, or if you just want a little more inspiration to open your heart, here are five ways to find wonder in the everyday.

1. Books

Why not start with Wonder, the book? The title says it all! While it was written for kids, the message is sure to resonate with most people. But if this isn’t your style, then choose a book of your liking. By visiting the world of your favorite author, you’re experiencing their vision, and opening yourself up to their AWE-some artistry.

2. Resilience in Others

Going back to Wonder, the book, and the reason it resonates with so many is because it’s a story of resilience, which always inspires. Tuning into another’s challenges and how they (and those around them) use their situation for good will always uplift. Checkout the movie Gleason for a tear-jerking battle against ALS with NFL player Steve Gleason and his wife, Michel Varisco Gleason. If you are familiar with his story, then you already know how it ends, but that doesn’t detract from the wonder these people both incite.

3. Children

Kids are walking, talking, breathing signs of wonder — it’s embedded in who they are. So if you could use a boost in inspiration, spend some time with a little one. Take them somewhere impressive, like a sightseeing spot, and watch their eyes open wide with amazement. Or hang out with them at home, and observe how they find magic in the smallest moments. If you try to see the source of wonder from their eyes, you just may allow the magic to touch you.

4. Nature

If you are living in the city it might be harder to find nature that amazes in the same way it would if you lived somewhere like Iceland. But just today, my daughter called me into the living room to show me the new blossom on the plant in our windowsill. And although it was sweet to have my daughter show me this, I had already seen it on my own. When the little white bud started to bloom, I couldn’t help but notice how wonderful it was.

5. Perspective

The opportunity to find wonder can often show up when it’s least expected. So the way you go about your life can make a big difference. If you’re driving the same route to go to the same places every day, you can shift how you’re seeing the things around you. Even if on the surface those things don’t look different — the stoplights, the shopping centers, the trees — adjust your perspective slightly, and a whole world may open up. It’s similar to seeing things from the eyes of a child, except you can start doing it on your own.

So while the stresses of daily life can drain us from our inspiration, you can bring it back.

What will you try today to bring wonder back into your world? —Elysha