There are so many things which go unnoticed. That is because people only notice things that are important to them. Our brain is tuned to not pay attention to things that do not change drastically. What I mean is that, when a bird chirps it doesn’t automatically make us turn our head. But when a crow mob is cawing in excitement or fear we wonder what’s happening. The chirping bird is also trying to communicate something. Have you followed the sound or spotted the bird? Have you seen their beautiful dance as they jump from one branch to another?

We do so many things without noticing the world around us. We say things without noticing what the other person feels, we exert ourselves without noticing what our body is telling us, we walk past the beautiful bright flowers as we are swiping the pictures on our phones, we ignore the neighbors wave because we are preoccupied in our thoughts and so on. Life does move forward but we are missing all the opportunities the universe gives us to make life worthwhile.

Mindfulness is the new coca-cola. It’s booming and it’s here to stay. Being mindful is nothing but being aware of what’s happening within and around. It is about not doing anything but just noticing and soaking in the present moment. Mindfulness is the practice that makes you ready for the world beyond. When you keenly start noticing the world around, you will start hearing the voice of the universe and it is magic!!

Where do you start?

Start with yourself:

First and foremost, start with noticing yourself; notice what’s going on within you. For instance after a meal notice how you are feeling? If you feel energized after eating it means your choice of food suited you. If you feel sluggish, you would probably want to look deeper into what you ate and what food you want to avoid or eat in moderation.

There are more things you can notice within you and make changes to your habits or behaviors that are not serving you. You might be able to notice you are overthinking, or you are procrastinating etc. You will notice what you brings joy and what brings distress.

The same is true for relationships, job or any task. When you start noticing a drag, take steps to address it. I know, its easily said than done. Noticing is the first step. Eventually, you will have courage to take baby steps to course correct and align your path with your soul.

Notice Nature:

Nature teaches us lots of things. It gives us perspective, cues and much more. Start observing the little things in nature such as the falling leaves, touch of the breeze, smell of the morning air, vastness in the night sky and so on. Life becomes a blessing when you start noticing little things in nature. You will never feel alone. There is something giving you company – “Always”.

Try sharing something that’s bothering you with a nearby plant. Do you think it’s silly? Do you think they don’t have ears or empathy? Sometimes interacting with nature might seem silly. When you try it you will eventually find out its healing. Share your thoughts in the comment box below.

Personally, since I started observing nature the concept of “I” has became too small. I was big in my head. When I compared me and my issues with the vastness of the system I gained perspective on how small my issues were. My response to my problems are subtler that it used to be.

When you notice yourself fretting about little things it’s time to step out of your head and find peace in nature. It does not matter if your spouse did not do the dishes or you had to repeat the same sentence again to a coworker or the driver in front of you is moving too slowly – you can distract yourself by focusing on something in nature. Nature will never fail you.

Notice people around you:

Lastly, turn your attention to others. Start noticing the people around you. Notice without judgement. Someone might need an extra hand. Someone might need your warm smile. Compassion is the elixir of life. A small act of kindness will go a long way. A thoughtful word could change someone’s day.

Kids are natural when it comes to noticing the world around them. In fact that’s how they learn. Growing up does not mean we should stop noticing everyday things. We are missing out on the awe moments that have been created just for us. Getting in the habit of noticing will help you become a conscious person. Lets start seeing the beauty around us, beauty in people, beauty in the very being we are! Start noticing the world around you!