How To Find the Wow In Life

What can a singing bird, a neighborhood walk, and a pair of puppet adventurers teach us about awe? Sit down with Wowsabout! creators Dorien Davies and Halle Stanford to discuss helping kids—and grownups—find wonder wherever they are.

Summary: Kids may be natural wonder-seekers, but how do we help them hold onto that sense of awe as they grow up? On this episode of The Science of Happiness, we talk with Wowsabout! creators Dorien Davies and Halle Stanford about creating a PBS Kids special inspired by awe, the science behind wonder, and why small moments—a bird singing at dawn, a blooming jasmine vine, or a walk around the block—can help us feel more connected to ourselves and the world around us. Together, they explore how cultivating awe can foster curiosity, resilience, creativity, and belonging for children and adults alike.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Slow down and set an intention: Pause your usual routine and decide to look for something that inspires wonder.
2. Notice what you feel: Tune into physical sensations, like the warmth of the sun, a cool breeze, or your feet touching the ground.
3. Look closely at your surroundings: Pay attention to colors, shapes, textures, or movement that you might normally overlook.
4. Listen with curiosity: Notice the sounds around you—the birds, the wind, distant voices, or the hum of your neighborhood.
5. Follow what captures your attention: If something sparks your interest or amazement, spend a moment with it instead of rushing on.
6. Reflect on your experience: At the end of your walk, consider what surprised you and how it made you feel more connected to the world around you.

Try the full practice here: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/awe_walk

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

HALLE STANFORD is the creator and writer of Wowsabout!, founder of 7 Crow Stories, Emmy® Award-winning, and twelve-time Emmy®-nominated executive producer of Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

DORIEN DAVIES is an Executive Producer, Co-Creator, Co-Writer and Principal Puppeteer on Wowsabout!, Word Party, and Julie’s Greenroom.

Watch Wowsabout! here: https://pbskids.org/videos/wowsabout

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

Cities of Awe Series: https://tinyurl.com/2vyhxvny

How to Find Calm Through Walking: https://tinyurl.com/43dr26re

Related Happiness Break episodes:

How To Ground Yourself in Nature: https://tinyurl.com/25ftdxpm

Pause to Look at the Sky: https://tinyurl.com/4jttkbw3

Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

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Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/bdsn3n9e