It was an Awepique Year Indeed …
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust
As was shared in last week's blog, I believe words matter, which is why one of my New Year’s rituals is to pick my “word for the year.” For me, doing so is more than a trend; it's a psychological anchor that helps me focus my thoughts and actions and aligns them with core values and goals. For anyone, such a practice can lead to increased self-awareness, motivation, and a sense of purpose by simplifying aspirations into a single, powerful concept that can easily be recalled and reflected upon daily.
My “word” for 2024 was “awepique” (aw-PEEK), a made-up word which is a blend of awe, pique (stimulate), and “epique” (French for “epic”). I defined awepique as: “The quality or state of regularly experiencing a profound sense of wonder and reverence for everyday moments, combined with a feeling of being gently prodded or nudged towards recognizing the extraordinary in the ordinary, leaving one to know that each moment of this life is part of an incredible poetic journey.”
Over the course of the year, awepique has been a “lens” that has encouraged me to explore and appreciate the richness of everyday life, helped me to “catch” myself in those moments when I was deviating from this path, and nudged me to regularly recognize the wonderment in what would have previously been insignificant details and mundane experiences. In doing so, my life has been fuller and richer – I’ve noticed people are more interesting, food tastes better, clouds regularly amaze, and I’m even breathing more appreciatively!
In my professional world, I’ve found myself more often swept up in the wonderment of the practice of medicine and the many facets of the human condition. This led to perhaps the most important “lesson” of my awepique year – the reminder that the experience of awe is even better when shared. It was in regularly inviting colleagues, staff, and patients into my awepique adventure that bonds strengthened, compassion deepened, and meaning multiplied.
As I close this “year of awepique,” I encourage you to consider your own “awe practice.” How might appreciating and sharing your experiences of awe help guide you to deeper meaning in your work (and life) and a renewed sense of connection with your patients, colleagues, friends, family, and yourself? For me, though my year of “awepique” may be ending, I look forward to carrying the spirit of 2024 into my “liminicious” 2025, and to traveling the journey with you.