Communication essentials: protect your sense of wonder

Today’s communication essential hit me a little different, as the kids like to say. It appeared in HBR and is about how we can keep ourselves fresh, creative and mindful. The title? Why You Need to Protect Your Sense of Wonder – Especially Now. (From David P. Fessell and Karen Reivich)

It hit me that way as I wondered things like… “How the hell is tomorrow September?” and “I have a kid that’s a sophomore?” and “Wait…I don’t have kids at the elementary school anymore?” and “Should Zeke be a keeper on my fantasy team?”

As I read, I realized…oh, it’s not that kind of wonder…that makes you wonder how time flies…but about keeping a sense of wonderment about you as we go through these days that can be full of distractions, to put it mildly. Because for every headline that may make you shake your head…there are just as many things to look around in wonder and appreciate.

Wait. All of this in HBR? A business publication? Yep. And this mindset is critical as we navigate the new workforce, both from an individual and team standpoint.

Even if you yourself don’t find value in the little things that make you stop and wonder, being a leader isn’t about you. It’s about your teams and those around you who you can positively affect every day.

My favorite part of this article is the science behind something called an “awe walk,” where you carve out 20 minutes of your day to walk in a park, neighborhood, wherever, and simply observe what you see through a lens of “How is that even possible?” The physical and health benefits afterward speak for themselves. Motivation. Stress relief. Exercise. All wrapped into one. And free.

I hope you have a minute to read today’s article. And I definitely hope you have time to take an “awe walk” this week. I know I will be trying it. Let me know what you discover and how you feel!