"Imagine the feeling you get staring up at a night sky that's shimmering with shooting stars, glancing into the heart of a volcano, standing in a darkened field aglow with thousands of fireflies, or hearing a swell of hundreds of violins. It's an emotion on the surprise spectrum called awe. As in the true meaning of awesome. Awe is surprise that's stirred by something unfathomably vast or complex. We can't quite believe it even as we stand before it. Nature is the most common awe trigger, but intricate design, extraordinary skill, admirable integrity, and remarkable ideas also inspire awe. Like all surprises, awe leads us to stop, wonder, shift our perspective, and long to share our experiences with others (which explains why tourists are always snapping photos). But the Shift Phase in instances of awe is unique.

Awe leads us to reframe ourselves as small and our world as vast. Researchers have found that simply watching awe-inspiring nature videos created this shift and also led participants to feel like they had more time. Psychologists have nicknamed this time stretching phenomenon "extended-now" — when now feels longer than the usual fragment of a moment. Awe also led participants to be more patient and helpful. Helping increases happiness, so awe doesn't just feel awesome but also improves our quality of life.

"We have to actively seek awe because it is a rare emotion. Whenever you can, surround yourself with nature, beauty, and inspiring people and ideas. As a citizen of our time-starved world, you might occasionally feel that you can't step away from your daily hassles long enough to let in awe, but it can also work the other way around. Experience awe and, suddenly, you will feel that you have all the time in the world."