A Sense Of Place – 13 Ways to Cultivate Wonder In Life
Want to cultivate a sense of place? If so, here are 13 genius ways to cultivate your sense of place and wonder every day.
Let’s chat about a sense of place and wonder in life.
Out of all the feelings that it is possible to feel in this world, I have to say that curiosity and wonder are two of my favorite emotions.
Think about the way those emotions make you feel.
They make you feel inspired, alive, youthful and as if the entire world is a playground just waiting for you to discover.
Curiosity is defined as the strong desire to know or learn something which pushing you to keep exploring in life.
While wonder keeps you feeling excited and amazed, when you discover something beautiful and noteworthy for the first time.
I mean, even when you’re feeling happy with your life overall, there’s a chance that you might still be yearning for something more…and the way to find that something is by maintaining a sense of curiosity and wonder.
If you want to feel more alive and connected with others and this planet, simply cultivate your sense of wonder.
Research shows that every human in this world needs and benefits from those moments that make us feel part of something larger than ourselves.
In addition to making us feel happy, wonder and awe strengthens our immune system, relieves stress, and encourages us to cooperate with others.
Pretty cool, right?
It’s enough to make you want to elevate your daily routines by stepping out of your comfort zone and doing what you can to cultivate your sense of awe.
Seeking Inspiration
Here’s the thing:
Opportunities for wonder are right in front of you if you know how to look.
Are you willing to take the time to look?
If so, let me show you the way…
Take advantage of these fun ideas to discover more wonder and inspiration in your life:
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 1 – Study science.
The successful fast tracking of our current vaccines is pretty remarkable when you think about the fact that it took more than 20 years of research to develop a shot for polio (yep 20 years!).
There is always, always, always something new to discover when you study science.
It is truly amazing what research seems to discover and prove on a daily basis.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 2 – Appreciate art.
When was the last time you took the time to walk through an art gallery?
My last visit was two years ago when my husband and I took our son to Canberra for a three day sports camp and my gosh, my mind was totally blown away when we took a walk through our national art gallery.
Take the time to appreciate the art that surrounds you.
Did you know that you can fill your home with beautiful objects?
You can also fill it with sound of music (whatever you love to sing or dance to is the best music to play!)
Visit art galleries and museums often if you can and if you feel called to do so, express your creativity through painting, drawing, sewing, gardening or any other creative endeavors.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 3 – Play with kids.
I don’t know about you but when my kids were young I absolutely loved playing with them. Board games, puzzles, trampolining, make-believe stuff, I was always in!
Maybe it’s because my parents didn’t really take the time to play with me when I was young (they were always working) that I made it a priority to carve out play time with my own kids whenever I could.
If you feel like you may have lost some of your ability to feel awe as an adult, spend some time with young kids and I promise you, they will remind you what awe looks like.
One easy way to find this feeling again is by spending time with younger family and friends.
Young kids will quickly help you recapture your enjoyment of falling snow, board games, pretend play and mud pies.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 4 – Walk your dog.
Want to meet someone who is always excited to see anyone and everything?
I present you with my cavalier Scooter and doberman Sabre.
Just kidding! Any dog will show you the same level of excitement about the world, I’m sure.
For maximum excitement, take your dogs on a walk and follow their lead as they will definitely show you the way and point out to you all the major highlights in your neighborhood park or backyard.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 5 – Take a trip.
Travel is another proven way to immediately change your perspective and expand your thinking.
If you don’t have plans to travel right now, that’s okay.
You can still dream big and research destinations for your next vacation or a weekend outing.
Order brochures, browse online, and talk with others about what their favorite travel recommendations.
Remember it’s always important to dream big my friend and travel is an excellent item to keep on your bucket list.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 6 – Go outside.
Nature is a major source of inspiration close to home or far away.
Do you live by the forest or ocean?
Near a bush track or river?
If so, how often do you take the time to pay nature a visit and soak it all in?
Even if you aren’t surrounded by nature, you still have the ability to watch the sun rise and set.
Yep, just step outside and every morning and evening and the sky will bless you with one of the most beautiful sights you can witness.
You can also buy a bird feeder or plant a garden vegetable bed to feel more connected with nature if that is something that appeals to you.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
Using Habits to Spark Your Sense of Wonder
Please don’t think that your habits need to be boring…
Did you know that you can use your regular daily routines, like washing dishes and attending meetings, and make them more meaningful by engaging fully with what you’re doing.
This is what intentional living is all about.
It almost feels like a serene meditation when you focus only on the task at hand.
Try these additional strategies to create more curiosity in your life:
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 7 – Wake up early.
Studies show that early risers tend to be happier and more successful.
Do your best to stick to a bedtime that allows you to wake up naturally with plenty of energy to power you through your day.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 8 – Work out.
It’s no surprise that regular exercise can help you to stay active as you age.
So, where can you squeeze in just 30 minutes a day of exercise?
Remember it isn’t about having the time – YOU NEED TO MAKE THE TIME.
You need to schedule it into your diary as a priority task or chances are it won’t happen.
Please don’t leave it out because exercise is really essential in helping you maintain your mental and physical strength.
(I learned the hard way how crappy you can feel when you ditch exercise temporarily from your life).
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 9 – Savor your food.
Healthy eating is another way of honoring how much your body does for you.
So, take the time to sit down and chew your food slowly.
Good healthy food that makes your body feel great.
Do your best to prepare your own meals and snacks using delicious whole food ingredients and savor every bite you take.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 10 – Help others.
Did you know that studies show helping others reduces anxiety and depression in humans?
But you’ve probably worked this out already, right? – that helping others makes you feel useful and pretty great.
Do what you can to practice random acts of kindness and find a career that enables you to give from the heart, serve and help others and ultimately have a positive impact on the world.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 11 – Focus on teamwork.
Wonder also makes you want to collaborate with others, so that you can do and accomplish more.
Consider the following quotes:
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” – Andrew Carnegie
Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” – Henry Ford
The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry Truman
No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team.” – Reid Hoffman
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” – Booker T. Washington
Celebrate diversity and build trust with your team so that you can set clear goals and do more with their help.
There is definitely magic that happens within a team.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 12 – Try new things.
The quickest way to generate the feeling of wonder is to TRY SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW.
Novelty definitely promotes feelings of awe and helps you to stay engaged because it’s new and your mind still doesn’t know what to expect.
So be willing to try something new.
Be willing to step outside your comfort zone.
Mingle at parties and chat with strangers.
Take interesting courses online.
Ride your bike instead of driving to the office.
Put simply, try new things.
A SENSE OF PLACE | HOW TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF WONDER
TIP # 13 – Keep a journal.
I know how easy it is for your sense of wonder to get buried under daily concerns.
A journal can therefore help you to notice and remember the amazing moments that happen each day.
Make a record of it to keep forever.
All in all, it is possible to make wonder and awe part of your daily life.
You start by consciously slowing down to discover the wonders that surround you.
Slow down and then stop and look around for a moment.
Awe will make you feel privileged in a positive way that broadens your perspective, makes you feel blessed and enriches all your experiences that follow.
I hope you find this info useful in helping you create more wonder, curiosity and awe in your life.
Until next time, much love, Frances Vidakovic xxx
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I’m Frances Vidakovic – a mindset & action coach for quietly ambitious women who want to stop overthinking and finally take aligned action. I help women achieve their goals and follow through on what matters, without sacrificing their sanity or soul.