Use Awe to Spark Creativity

By Christina Delay

Awe is Integral to Creativity

Unless you���re a full-time author, finding time and/or motivation to write can be challenging. So, finding time to boost your creativity at the expense of your writing time…crazy talk.

But…

What if I told you that staring at a dark sky full of stars was integral to your creativity?

What if I told you that watching a video celebrating human ingenuity was as important as getting words on the page?

What if I told you that you absolutely should listen to that amazing album by your favorite band and not write?

What if doing all these things made you more creatively productive?

I know. Crazy.

Or is it?

The Science Behind Awe

Awe is defined as ���an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like.���

Researchers have long believed in the power of positive feelings to impact creativity, however a study by Jia Wei Zhang proves that simply having positive emotions isn’t the biggest influence on creativity.

In order to significantly bolster our creativity, we need to experience awe.

Zhang found that ���the experience of awe can lead to an open mindset, orient people to explore, and approach experiences with unconventional perspectives���all of which are processes critical to creativity.��� (Zhang, 2017)

Even more interesting is the study found that experiencing awe is more impactful on creativity than amusement. Zhang references another study conducted in 2007 that concluded that people who relived a memory of awe, as opposed to one of happiness, ���reported being more willing to engage in a creative activity in the next hour.��� (Shiota et al., 2007)

So, there you have it. Scientific proof that experiencing awe will inspire you to write in the next hour.

If you need a short-cut to getting motivated to write…this is it.

Habitualize Experiencing Awe

So how do you make a habit of something that seems spontaneous or uncontrollable?

Awe can be intentional.

We���ve all noticed a beautiful sunset. But there is a significant difference in noticing a beautiful sunset versus allowing yourself to sink into why that sunset is beautiful, to ponder all the factors that had to happen to not only create that fleeting masterpiece, but to also place you in that moment so you could experience it, and to understand that this moment will never be replicated. That you���ve experienced a once-in-a-lifetime sunset.

You do have the ability to turn simple moments into moments of awe.

In the beginning, set reminders on your phone to search for these moments. Or start your writing session with an intentional moment of awe.

Fortunately, habitualizing awe is fun, and once you get started, it’s easy to continue.

Your Awe Starter Kit

If you���re someone who has a difficult time being awed, here���s a starter kit for you. Once you start making awe a normal part of your day, you���ll find your own moments and be able to create your own ���playlist of awe��� in order to kickstart your writing sessions.

NatureSunsets/SunrisesStarry nightsLeaves blowing in the streetA flower bloomingWind blowing through the treesFamilyA child���s laughterA sleeping child (which can be many different levels of awe)Reliving their childhood through photosThe love you hold for your SO and/or childrenYour own parent’s or parental figure���s love and sacrifice for youThe ArtsVideos of your favorite type of dance (ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop)PoetryA beautifully written line in a bookA painting that moves something within youMusic – particularly a song that allows you to listen on a deeper levelTravelNew-to-you sightsStained glass windows in churchesA place steeped in history, which you���ve read aboutWalk in the footsteps of your ancestorsEngage with people who don���t speak your language or share your cultureHumansNew inventionsNew discoveriesTheories about ancient civilizationsVideos of the deepest parts of the oceanStories about people who overcome great odds

What about you? Do you have a moment of awe you���d like to share?

Work Cited:
Zhang, Jia Wei. Trait and State Based Experience of Awe Promotes Creativity. 2017, UC Berkeley.
EScholarship.org, https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9k10....

Christina Delay

Resident Writing Coach

Christina is the hostess of Cruising Writers and an award-winning psychological suspense author. She also writes award-winning supernatural suspense under the name Kris Faryn. You can find Kris at:

Bookbub �� Facebook �� Amazon �� Instagram.

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