#28. STRESSED? ADD “MICRO-DOSING OF AWE”
There is much to be stressed about these days. And, being constantly vigilant - for what challenge is next - is exhausting and unhealthful.
Two, popular, stress-reduction solutions are (1) meditation/apps and (2) Stoical philosophy. A key concept of the Stoics was rephrased in the Serenity prayer. Just focus and get busy on what you can control (and directly influence), and don’t worry about what you can’t control.
Recentering with meditation to then focus on what you can control is a good, two-step, stress remedy. Now, consider adding a third step with 5-to-15-second bites of micro-dosed awe. This will infuse your controllable actions with - wonder, curiosity, gratitude, hope, faith, and collaborative intent. How so?
Go Beyond Initial AI Summaries to Master Micro-Doing Awe
Don’t let AI do your passive, superficial thinking and rot your brain. To grok (fully comprehend) and benefit from micro-dosing awe, try this sequence of steps:
-
Google: “Why and how should we micro-dose awe?” Read a helpful, tip-of-the-iceberg summary.
-
Then, click on “deeper dive in AI mode” for next level reading.
-
Go deep enough to read about the “A.W.E. method” pitched by two consultants – Amster & Eagle. These two were meditation consultants who - after working with the research expert on awe (Dacher Keltner, psych prof at Cal Berkley) - invented A.W.E.
-
Specifically, read their article “Stuck at Home? How to Find Awe and Beauty Indoors”.
-
Then deeper yet: check out Keltner’s book, “AWE”, at Amazon. Or, at least read my review of the book, which has “helped” 184 folks (as of 2-20-26).
-
Then, this is key, Google - “Vaillant + awe” - to find out that awe is a gateway emotion to all other pro-social emotions that: helped Sapien tribes to dominate; and evolved into “spiritual values”.
-
How many of these pro-social emotions - humility, gratitude, hope, faith/trust, compassion, forgiveness - have you mastered to boost your Emotional IQ (EQ). Those with high EQs will be able to insure having: engaging, lifetime employment; great relationships; and a happy life.
-
Finally, google: “How does micro-dosing awe help me to improve my EQ?”
CONCLUSIONS
Use AI for a gateway to more knowledge about whatever you are curious about, then dig deeper. Do your own proactive, additional - research, thinking and experimentation. With practice, close the gap between superficial Know-What & Whys and Can-Do new skills masterfully.
AI will threaten many jobs, but those with growing EQ skills will excel. AI can’t read the room to then make wise, tradeoff choices going forward, but folks with high EQs can! Plus, they will live happier lives!
We are swimming in modern day blessings that we take for granted. Micro-dosing awe taps into these wonders for renewed energy that also enables the growth of your EQ to better cope with today’s stressful world.