Finding Meaning in Everyday Experience

A viewfinder atop Rockefeller Center in New York City by J. Routledge.

A couple of weeks ago, I discussed fascinating research on aesthetic experiences in science and how they contribute to the wellbeing of scientists, including their sense of meaning in life. Writing about that topic got me thinking about some excellent research on the existential benefits of everyday aesthetic experiences that we all can enjoy.

Much of my work on the human search for meaning focuses on the actions we take to make a difference in the world. These behaviors help us achieve what psychologists call existential mattering, the sense that our lives are significant. Existential mattering represents a key contributor to our overall sense of meaning in life. Life feels more meaningful when we believe we matter, and we are more likely to believe we matter when we actively engage in activities that positively impact others' lives.

Typically, these aren't epic endeavors but rather everyday behaviors embedded within the roles we play in our families, workplaces, and communities. Building a life with a spouse, raising children, running a business, mentoring a junior colleague, helping a client or customer, lending a hand to a neighbor, or even something as simple as bringing a smile to a stranger's face all provide opportunities to experience mattering. However, research shows that we can also find meaning in our daily lives from doing something that is less about goals and action and more about awareness and attention. This approach involves what researchers call experiential appreciation.

Experiential appreciation involves recognizing and connecting with the beauty that surrounds us in our daily lives. Closely observing the nature around us when taking a walk, savoring a good cup of coffee, or pausing to notice the architectural details of a familiar building all provide opportunities to appreciate small aesthetic moments that might otherwise pass unnoticed. What makes this particularly compelling from a psychological perspective is that experiential appreciation is distinct from the more commonly studied pathways to meaning like our sense of mattering. A goal-driven life focused on making a difference in the world is important in our quest for meaning, but so is taking time to appreciate beauty in everyday experiences.

An international team of researchers first discovered the potential existential benefits of experiential appreciation when examining how people coped with stress and uncertainty during the early stages of the COVID pandemic. Investigators asked participants to rate various strategies they used to manage psychological distress. Among the different coping mechanisms examined, those who reported focusing on their appreciation for life's beauty also described experiencing significantly higher levels of meaning in their lives. This initial finding suggested an intriguing connection that warranted deeper investigation.

Building on this discovery, these researchers conducted more systematic studies examining the relationship between experiential appreciation and meaning. They asked participants to rate their agreement with statements measuring experiential appreciation, such as "I have a great appreciation for the beauty of life" and "I appreciate a wide variety of experiences." They also measured other established predictors of meaning, including participants' sense of mattering, before assessing overall life meaning. 

The results revealed that people who scored higher on experiential appreciation consistently reported greater meaning in their lives. Crucially, this relationship remained robust even when the researchers statistically controlled for other known contributors to meaning, demonstrating that experiential appreciation represents a distinct psychological pathway to existential flourishing.

The research team then moved beyond correlational studies to conduct controlled experiments testing whether fostering experiential appreciation could actually enhance meaning. For example, in one study, participants were randomly assigned to watch either footage from documentaries like Planet Earth highlighting the beauty of nature or more neutral instructional videos. Those who viewed the videos emphasizing the beauty of nature reported significantly greater experiential appreciation and enhanced sense of meaning compared to those in the control group. 

Here's the challenge though. Our modern world can make experiential appreciation difficult. We should be deeply grateful for the human achievements that have created this age of abundance, expanding our opportunities for personal and professional growth, social engagement, and entertainment. This is awesome, but the constant stream of stimuli and distractions that characterize contemporary life can make it easy to miss the small moments of beauty that are happening around us all the time. If experiential appreciation contributes to meaning, then our distracted, fast-paced lifestyle could be robbing us of an important source of psychological wellbeing. This doesn't mean we should reject the benefits of modern life, but rather find ways to weave experiential awareness into our daily routines.

We can start by practicing deliberate attention to aesthetic experiences that we might otherwise overlook. This involves slowing down enough to truly observe the world around us and notice the small things that can elevate a day such as nice weather, a good meal, and the company of family and friends. Such mindful engagement transforms routine experiences into opportunities for appreciation. It can be helpful to reduce distractions. For example, just as we silence our phones at the movie theater to fully immerse ourselves in the film, we can create the same distraction-free space when taking a walk or spending time with friends and family.

We can also seek out encounters with natural beauty and wonder more intentionally. Exposure to nature gives us rich material for experiential appreciation. And as I discussed in a previous newsletter, spending time in nature also helps shift our focus towards other people, inspiring us to engage in the kinds of outward-oriented actions that contribute to existential mattering.  

The research on experiential appreciation offers valuable insights for our understanding of human meaning-making. Planning for the future and engaging in goal-focused activities that improve our lives and the lives of others remains fundamental. But it is also important to cultivate presence and deep appreciation for the richness that already surrounds us. In a world that often feels rushed, it is good to remind ourselves of the existential value of deeper engagement with immediate experience.

Have a great weekend!

Clay