The Art of Noticing – 2/30
Have you ever looked around, glanced at something, noticed the tiny little bits that goes by unbothered, magically come up with a story that flows inside your head?
As an observant, this is an easy auto-pilot task. You excel at playing the spot-the difference game. Without anyone asking, you could point out silly micro matters. Sometimes you even wonder, why would you do that?
What does it actually mean by noticing? To me, it is a state of being. In this hustling and bustling world of a society, it takes extra effort to slow down. To notice means to pause for a moment and cherish what is in front of you. Scientifically, noticing enhances your creativity and mental wellbeing.
The moment you notice, it is the moment you put a break on time. You savour its beauty for a slight moment. To the brain, you give its ability to lengthen positive feelings by simply paying attention to them. When you are stuck in the multitasking phase, doing a million things at a time, you split your focus to those things. That is at the cost of your energy. When you notice, you fully immerse yourself in the moment. You create space for curiosity, for an awe, to appreciate what the world has to offer in its tiny spectrum.
If you have never done the art of noticing on purpose, try focusing on these things:
People stories and mundane things
When a human is speaking, they generate a space for wonder, opinion, and relevance. This is where you can practice your art of noticing. You actively listen to every word they say, you interpret them into your own understanding – this may mean processing every vocabularies, digging for hidden messages, and positioning yourself into their point of view.
Watching others, i.e. dancing, you try to make sense of what goes on inside their head. What are they feeling that they bring up such peculiar movements?
Falling in love, with conversations, body language, ideas, events, inventions, achievements. The more you engage with such expressions, the more you show up, the more involved you are in your life.
The Earth and its elements
Have you ever gone on a hike, a trek, a snorkel, an off-the-grid trip to an island? When you travel somewhere refreshing, you are usually seeking refreshments. You appreciate the sunset, the earthy soil, the rumbling leaves, the swaying trees. This is because you are focused on taking every bit of your time. Why not do it on a daily basis?
Next time you drive to work in the morning, take the moment to feel the air hitting your face. When you commute off work, chase the golden hour – in this moment now, capture it, remember it. That is how you do it.
Your own cup(s) of tea
What are the things in your life that you could talk about all day long? What are the things that light up your eyes? You can start from there.
For me, I have always been into sports. I have been focusing on olympic weightlifting lately. When people ask me, I would tell stories about how I first started, what got me into sticking to that sport, and so on. What still captivates me until now, is the learning curve. I am aware of how complex it is to learn the sport – it’s full-on technique, with a combination of strength and power. Since I am enjoying the journey, I find beauty in the little things. Tiny details matter. Difference in angles and placements determine whether a lift is successful or not. From that, I learn to focus on “emptying my head” and be completely present in every training session.
My experience with the art of noticing might look different from you. But that is your task, to find your own definition of noticing. To me, as long as you are fully aware of yourself and your surroundings, you are already noticing.
Thank you for reading up until this point. May you always find your way over and over again – to yourself. Cheers!
