Episode 70: Pay Attention, Be Astonished & Finding Awe with Elaine BrooksWhen did you last stop in your tracks and think: what if I never see this again?In this episode of the Writing with Purpose podcast, I'm joined by Elaine Brooks, a certified poetry therapy mentor and certified applied poetry facilitator. Through her own work and teaching collaborations, Elaine helps people uncover their gifts and reclaim their stories using the Eight Wonders of Life framework. Her background as a registered nurse and integrative nurse coach has shaped a uniquely embodied approach to wellbeing, one rooted in the belief that awe is not a luxury but a quiet, transformative force available to all of us.In this warm and wide-ranging conversation, Elaine and I explore what awe actually is and how to recognise it in your own body, why the research of Dr Dacher Keltner has changed the way we understand wonder, and how the Eight Wonders of Life, from moral beauty and collective effervescence to music, nature, and those sudden aha moments, offer us everyday doorways into something larger. We also talk about the journalling technique of the captured moment, the two questions that can shift the way you move through the world, and how sharing stories of awe can deepen relationships and anchor positive memories more firmly in our bodies."What is the weight of the words that I put in my journal? And how many of them are often heavy because I'm writing about things that are going on that are troubling me. And that made me think, what about just kind of balancing that with some lighter words and really capturing moments of awe in my journal, along with the heavyweight words."In this episode:• The Eight Wonders of Life framework• The journalling technique of the captured moment• Two questions that change how you pay attention• How awe activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowers heart rate, reduces inflammation, and draws us out of overthinking • Elaine's encounter with a juvenile eagle and what it taught her about transformationPractical wisdom from this episode:Elaine shares grounded, accessible ways to invite more awe into everyday life, including:Practising the captured moment after an experience of aweKeeping the Eight Wonders in mind as a compassLooking for moral beauty in daily lifeListening to awe-inspiring music with intentionSharing your stories of awe carefully and with people who can truly hear themConnect with ElainePlease connect with Elaine to find out more about her work, upcoming workshops, and her forthcoming awe wellbeing project.WebsiteContact ElaineEmailAlso mentioned:The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi A Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dr Dacher Keltner Writing Wild by Tina Welling The Good Life Project podcastJohn Muir Laws Mary Oliver The Poetry Therapy Conference Today's Headline, poem by Rosemerry Wahtola TrommerPodcast Chapters00:00 Introduction to Awe and Wellbeing05:44 The Power of Journaling and Reflection12:38 Understanding Awe and Its Impact18:35 The Eight Wonders of Life37:01 Practical Ways to Cultivate Awe54:32 The Future of Awe and Wellbeing01:15:12 Introduction to Journaling and Community Engagement01:15:37 Exploring the Benefits of Journaling Workshops_ _ _A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am.If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe to the Writing with Purpose podcast and leave a review. It makes a real difference in helping more people find the show.Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | wherever you get your podcastsPlease download your free journal planner PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey.Please connect with me on your preferred platform by ⁠visiting my links pageJoin my bi-weekly Writing and Nature Connection newsletter

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