Chronicle Books

Awestruck: A Yearlong Journal

$14.95

52 Experiments to Find Wonder, Joy, and Meaning in Everyday Life.

An awe-inspiring guided journal that invites you, via 52 thought-provoking experiments, to find more wonder and meaning in your every day.

A shooting star. An exquisite piece of music. A newborn baby. Witnessing the mysteries of our world inspires feelings of awe, which are good for our mental and physical health. Through 52 accessible experiments—such as joining a meaningful cause, spending time with an animal, traveling somewhere new, and pondering life’s unanswerable questions—this journal invites you to find weekly pockets of wonder. Record your thoughts, reflect on your experiences, and finish the year feeling inspired, grateful, connected, and content.

Experiencing awe and reverence offers important perspective that can be hard to come by in our busy digital lives. It also increases feelings of well-being, satisfaction, and meaning. With simple prompts that encourage reflection, this journal makes it easy to seek out and notice the wonderful things that exist all around us.

New research shows that experiencing awe has similar benefits to a mindfulness or gratitude practice. Recent publishing on the topic, including Katherine May's Enchantment and Dacher Keltner's Awe, explores the value of experiencing wonder. This journal adds to the conversation with a light, interactive approach.

Rather than focusing on recording the day's happenings or writing down everyday stressors, this journal encourages you to zoom out of your daily routine. How amazing is it that leaves turn orange every autumn without fail? How incredible that the human body can grow and carry a baby for nine months? How wonderful that Jane Austen wrote so prolifically in secret? How wild that spiders exist? With thought experiments and simple activities that can be done anytime (go somewhere, do something, or simply ponder a big question), Awestruck serves as a reminder of the magnificence in our world.

Delivered in a spare and cheerful package, Awestruck is an inspiring companion for self-care enthusiasts and anyone seeking mindfulness, joy, and inner peace. The experiments are stimulating yet easy to do—from listening to a stirring piece of music to visiting a place that makes you feel small—and writing space allows you to jot down thoughts and any learnings that arise. Gift it to mindfulness practitioners, resolution setters, and anyone interested in self-betterment.

176 pages.