Last week, I asked you to practice listening deeply, which is one way to redirect attention. For this week, let’s explore with curiosity where our attention goes in the course of each day. At its most basic, attention is where our mind and eyes go. It’s one of our most precious resources and an indicator of what we care about. Here is a paradox about attention I’d like you to consider. Both of these things are true.
WOW!! Very thoughtful writing for reflection! THANKS KIM!! Joining in a few weeks late. Helpful and uuplifting questions! We have no TV. Thus, that causes no problem now. I was a BIG TV fan growing up in the country, created huge problem then with isolation & shyness, but fast forward to 2021. I create my own inner TV now, since kids left home, ruminating on the past or anticipating the future. I need to change channels, decrease the noise in my mind to appreciate beauty around me. I missed the week on listening. I would be overwhelmed by the Mind-Noise. One thing to do more of: Create more flow experiences, like I did so well in Kim's FANTASTIC online classes! My mind and body loved those classes! My attention was focused more on the now. I need to make a list of flow activities. One things to do less of: Worrying about self, family, past, future, death-which are not flow activities. This is Mind-Noise. Maybe I need to listen more carefully to the message, and let it go.
Well, this week was a bit of an education. For over a decade I’ve followed news developments as part of my job, and while I take issue with David Cain’s article about news being the last thing we need right now, I also know that moderation is healthy, as is a sense of purpose for why we pay attention to things. As of two weeks ago, I no longer have to follow the news, and I’ve learned that habits hold hard.
I’ve been deliberately spending more time with the phone turned off, and need to get back to carrying a pad and pencil to jot down ideas, rather than take notes on my phone, which leads to checking other things.
Long walks are of tremendous benefit. They give me time to pay attention to what's around me, and the more I notice, well, the more I notice.
One of the things I have noticed is that reading (novels) seems to slow my mind jumping to other distractions, not only when I'm reading, but in general. When I read, I concentrate and avoid the little jumps of distraction I'm prone to. I'm reading more right now, and it seems to hold when I put the book down. I learned last week about the benefits of listening deeply, but I hadn't realized reading may do something similar.
Love the idea of your best information coming from a long walk in the woods. When everything turned upside down last March, like so many other people I lost myself a little bit. Trying to suddenly create a whole new way of being, working and parenting led to terrible insomnia. I started walking to the village park up the road two or three times a day. At first it was just to have a few minutes by myself or to clear my head between phone calls. But then I started to notice all the subtle changes in the meadow and the woods as spring became summer. The green grasses deepened and became sprinkled with wild flowers. The leaves filled in and created different shadows and light as I walked along the stream. The bird songs changed during the day. I picked up my camera for the first time in years and started looking for colors, shapes, textures, patterns - anything to shift my attention. Looking back now, I realize how empowering this shift was. It balanced me and helped me better understand myself during a period when nothing made sense. Shifting my attention to what I can see and observe grounds me. It reminds me of a favorite quote by Kurt Vonnegut: "The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable."
Yes! Really beautifully written and so important. I loved the quote from Uta Barth.
Like Kim I found that it was easy in the last year to have my attention hijacked by news and media. I do meditate and so made sure that there was at least one period of the day where I would purposefully place my attention on a specific thing.
Here's something I found incredible helpful. ) call it "The Alphabet of mindful heart" - the idea was developed by James R. Doty.
I usually pick one letter a day and place my attention on that topic:
A Awareness
B Being
C Compassion
D Dignity
E Equanimity
F Forgiveness
G Gratitude
H Humility
I Integrity
J Justice
K Kindness
L Love
Thanks so much for putting this important topic out there, Kim
For many years, I've been on a "news media diet." Lately, I have been practicing "news media fasts" where I don't check any news sites for a day or days. Those days are peaceful and focused. If there is something critically important, I'll find out about it -- someone will post on Facebook or tell me in person. These news media practices have reset my attention and helped me feel more grounded; and I don't feel like I've got my head in the sand.
WOW!! Very thoughtful writing for reflection! THANKS KIM!! Joining in a few weeks late. Helpful and uuplifting questions! We have no TV. Thus, that causes no problem now. I was a BIG TV fan growing up in the country, created huge problem then with isolation & shyness, but fast forward to 2021. I create my own inner TV now, since kids left home, ruminating on the past or anticipating the future. I need to change channels, decrease the noise in my mind to appreciate beauty around me. I missed the week on listening. I would be overwhelmed by the Mind-Noise. One thing to do more of: Create more flow experiences, like I did so well in Kim's FANTASTIC online classes! My mind and body loved those classes! My attention was focused more on the now. I need to make a list of flow activities. One things to do less of: Worrying about self, family, past, future, death-which are not flow activities. This is Mind-Noise. Maybe I need to listen more carefully to the message, and let it go.
Well, this week was a bit of an education. For over a decade I’ve followed news developments as part of my job, and while I take issue with David Cain’s article about news being the last thing we need right now, I also know that moderation is healthy, as is a sense of purpose for why we pay attention to things. As of two weeks ago, I no longer have to follow the news, and I’ve learned that habits hold hard.
I’ve been deliberately spending more time with the phone turned off, and need to get back to carrying a pad and pencil to jot down ideas, rather than take notes on my phone, which leads to checking other things.
Long walks are of tremendous benefit. They give me time to pay attention to what's around me, and the more I notice, well, the more I notice.
One of the things I have noticed is that reading (novels) seems to slow my mind jumping to other distractions, not only when I'm reading, but in general. When I read, I concentrate and avoid the little jumps of distraction I'm prone to. I'm reading more right now, and it seems to hold when I put the book down. I learned last week about the benefits of listening deeply, but I hadn't realized reading may do something similar.
Love the idea of your best information coming from a long walk in the woods. When everything turned upside down last March, like so many other people I lost myself a little bit. Trying to suddenly create a whole new way of being, working and parenting led to terrible insomnia. I started walking to the village park up the road two or three times a day. At first it was just to have a few minutes by myself or to clear my head between phone calls. But then I started to notice all the subtle changes in the meadow and the woods as spring became summer. The green grasses deepened and became sprinkled with wild flowers. The leaves filled in and created different shadows and light as I walked along the stream. The bird songs changed during the day. I picked up my camera for the first time in years and started looking for colors, shapes, textures, patterns - anything to shift my attention. Looking back now, I realize how empowering this shift was. It balanced me and helped me better understand myself during a period when nothing made sense. Shifting my attention to what I can see and observe grounds me. It reminds me of a favorite quote by Kurt Vonnegut: "The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable."
Yes! Really beautifully written and so important. I loved the quote from Uta Barth.
Like Kim I found that it was easy in the last year to have my attention hijacked by news and media. I do meditate and so made sure that there was at least one period of the day where I would purposefully place my attention on a specific thing.
Here's something I found incredible helpful. ) call it "The Alphabet of mindful heart" - the idea was developed by James R. Doty.
I usually pick one letter a day and place my attention on that topic:
A Awareness
B Being
C Compassion
D Dignity
E Equanimity
F Forgiveness
G Gratitude
H Humility
I Integrity
J Justice
K Kindness
L Love
Thanks so much for putting this important topic out there, Kim
For many years, I've been on a "news media diet." Lately, I have been practicing "news media fasts" where I don't check any news sites for a day or days. Those days are peaceful and focused. If there is something critically important, I'll find out about it -- someone will post on Facebook or tell me in person. These news media practices have reset my attention and helped me feel more grounded; and I don't feel like I've got my head in the sand.