Ep. 53: Unlock The Power of Wonder with Monica C. Parker (Understanding and Experiencing The Extraordinary Emotion of Wonder)
Apr 19, 2023
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Monica C. Parker, an authority on wonder and founder of a consultancy, shares her journey from opera singer to homicide investigator. She dives into the essence of wonder as a transformative emotion. Monica explains how cultivating a wonder mindset can enhance resilience and foster personal growth. She introduces practices like mindfulness, 'wonder walks,' and even touches on the role of psychedelics in enhancing feelings of awe. Overall, embracing wonder can lead to deeper connections, creativity, and a more fulfilling life.
Monica Parker emphasizes that cultivating a wonder mindset involves intentional practices like mindfulness, curiosity, and engaging in activities that inspire awe.
The exploration of wonder reveals that experiencing this extraordinary emotion can lead to increased resilience and a greater capacity for joy in everyday life.
Integrating wonder into corporate culture fosters creativity and satisfaction by promoting environments that encourage curiosity, empathy, and authentic connections among employees.
Deep dives
The Journey to Understanding Wonder
The speaker explores Monica Parker's journey into the concept of wonder, highlighting her background as a homicide investigator and change management expert. Monica realized that a sense of wonder was vital in navigating significant life changes, from dealing with death to losing a job. Through her research, she found scientific evidence that individuals who view the world with curiosity exhibit greater resilience. This exploration culminated in her book, 'The Power of Wonder,' aimed at helping others recognize and cultivate this extraordinary emotion.
Defining Wonder and Its Components
Wonder is explained as both a verb and noun, encompassing the aspects of curiosity and the emotional experience of awe. The process of experiencing wonder is described as a cyclical journey, beginning with openness to experience, leading to curiosity, and culminating in moments of awe. Monica breaks it down into distinct phases: watching, wandering, whittling away distractions, and experiencing 'wow' and 'whoa' moments. This cycle emphasizes that the more individuals engage with these steps, the more likely they are to experience wonder in their lives.
The Importance of Slowing Down
Recognizing that modern life is often chaotic, the importance of slowing down to observe and experience wonder is stressed. Moments of absorption are crucial, as they allow for focus and presence, enabling individuals to connect with the magic around them. Monica shares a personal anecdote about how whittling allows for deep concentration, illustrating how simplicity can lead to profound experiences of awe. By down-regulating internal noise, individuals can increase their capacity to notice and appreciate the wonder present in everyday life.
Cultivating a Wonder-Based Mindset
The podcast emphasizes that cultivating a wonder-based mindset requires intentional action and practice. It encourages listeners to discover their 'Wonderbringers'—activities and experiences that evoke feelings of joy and awe. Simple practices, such as taking 'wonder walks' where individuals consciously look for things that inspire, can significantly enhance well-being. By sharing these experiences with others, people multiply the wonder and reinforce this positive mindset, leading to a more fulfilling life.
Wonder in the Workplace
Monica discusses integrating wonder into corporate culture to create more meaningful work experiences. By designing work environments that promote natural light, biophilic elements, and opportunities for creative thinking, organizations can enhance employee satisfaction. Furthermore, fostering a culture that values empathy, authenticity, and curiosity can lead to innovative solutions and stronger teams. By shifting the focus from rigid procedures to a more open and wonder-driven approach, workplaces can become catalysts for personal and collective growth.
Our stories, experiences, and memories all elicit emotions, that's the point. What emotions are most beneficial to cultivating your mindset and happiness?
In this episode:
What is wonder? How do we experience wonder?
Wonder, magic, spells, and abracadabra, there is magic everywhere... how do we access it?
The elements of wonder and wonder as a practice to cultivate a wonder mindset.
How can we cultivate even more wonder in our lives and what are the benefits of it?
Monica C. Parker is an authority on the future of work and is the founder of a global human analytics and change consultancy, Hatch. Monica's journey has been diverse, from opera singer to homicide investigator, and she is passionate about the arts and literature. Monica recently authored a book, The Power of Wonder. Monica explains that she initially set out to write a book about change management, but instead found her curiosity and passion with the concept of wonder. Wonder, Monica explains, is the extraordinary emotion that can change the way you live, learn and lead.