Some thought fragments I’m working on. This quote came up in memories from 9 years ago this morning, and reminded me that I have a choice in how I spend my attention.
“Did you make your bed look just beautiful after you got up this morning? How about your socks–do you like them? Do they feel great on your feet when you put them on. Do you notice? Okay, I’ll be more direct: are you savoring life? ENJOYING it?” Meredith Murphy’
I was in a beautiful wood earlier and noticed myself rehearsing in my head an unimportant conversation I might have with someone I hardly even know, and completely forgetting to enjoy the trees, the water and the birdsong. Forgot I was even in a beautiful wood. And every day, every hour there’s a tendency to fall back into automatic pilot when I choose not to decide consciously where my attention is going.
I see progress though. I love making my bed beautifully these days and have started enjoying cleaning sometimes. I was just marvelling at the design behind the smoothness of the kitchen drawer opening.
I realise more than ever how important my precious attention is. If I give it to negative thoughts and bad news, I feel unhappy or stressed. If I give it to productive thoughts and good news, I feel happy. And there are so many companies vying for my attention, I wonder if it might even be the most precious currency and commodity we have in the world.
What I give it to has the power to make me (and then others) happy or unhappy, relaxed or flooded with anxiety. Others aren’t getting to grab it so much these days and I choose where I put it more and more.
Learning to Rest with it All 