Between chasing goals and rushing through our to do lists, it’s not always intuitive to slow down and take in the present moment, as well as our surroundings.
Sean Kepler, President of Tune Outdoor, speaks about how being in nature has always been an escape for him and a way to connect with something bigger outside of himself.
"The outdoors - rock climbing, backpacking, fly fishing, hiking, and camping, among other natural world wanderings, both long and momentary, frame most of my formative life experiences as well as deep-seated feelings around satisfaction, inspiration, and self. Tune Outdoor is an enabler of that continuing journey for me, our founders, and our users.”
“I want to share this podcast with our community, as Dacher Keltner bottles some of that magic in stories and science that really make sense to me,” Kepler continues.
The “Hidden Brain” podcast hosted by American journalist Shankar Vedantam further explores these ideals in the "Happiness 2.0: The Reset Button” episode, originally posted on February 27th, 2023. It features psychologist Dacher Keltner who “describes what happens when we stop to savor the beauty in nature, art, or simply the moral courage of those around us” amidst our busy lives.
Keltner further discusses how we can find simple joys all around us to combat our personal anxieties and fears, in his case, playing basketball and attending an Iggy Pop concert. Both of these were experiences where he could step outside of himself and lose himself in enjoying the present moment.
Further, he defines “wild awe” as when “we encounter vast mysteries we can’t understand with our current knowledge.” Nature is often a common source of this awe when we experience all that the world has to offer, from seeing a wild animal, to a beautiful landscape, or even a double rainbow.
Expanding on this topic, Keltner published his book, “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life” earlier this year. He explains the science behind feeling awe, highlighting how throughout evolution, we’ve survived through cooperation, community, and creating a cultural identity, which are actions rooted in awe.
Keltner presents new research discussing how awe affects both our brains and bodies across history and culture. Summarily, he states that experiencing awe in our daily lives will help us appreciate our humanness and our human nature, leading us towards new insights, strengthening our bodies, inspiring new creative endeavors, and creating lasting connections with others.
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