Noticing may seem basic or maybe even too understated to meaningfully change our lives. But so much of how we live is dictated by what remains outside our awareness until something forces us to pay attention. The art of noticing is not something to master in a weekend. It is a lifelong practice- one we return to as we shape lives that feel more fulfilling. Thankfully, noticing doesn’t require special materials, a quiet room, or perfect circumstances.
The art of noticing overlaps with mindfulness, but I think of it as a lower-pressure entry point than many of the structured practices commonly found in spiritual and self-improvement spaces. While I am a huge advocate for traditional mindfulness practices, noticing can happen more casually. What you notice can take all forms, inside and outside of you. You can practice it at any point in your day, and it doesn’t have to be serious or deep. All it asks is one conscious observation.
As you go about your day, choose one moment to notice one thing.
You could take a more traditional route: your breath, the tension in your face, neck, or shoulders, or your train of thought.
You could focus externally: a bird or bug outside, the clouds, or what people are doing around you (spoiler alert- they’re probably on their phones).
Perhaps you feel compelled to turn inward: notice your emotions after you watch the first video on whatever endless scroll app you open, an automatic reaction to doing a chore or running an errand, or how you feel when you arrive home from work.
That’s it. You don’t need to “fix” anything. You don’t need to pivot your day or do anything about it at all. As the practice becomes familiar, you may naturally find yourself turning inward more often. However, the beginning of the practice is simply getting into the habit of bringing what normally runs on autopilot into your awareness.
For me, the most meaningful changes began when I started noticing how I felt when I scrolled on TikTok. If I encountered a particularly emotional video- whether it was happy, sad, enraging, or depressing- I would take note. At first, I didn’t do anything about it. I just kept scrolling along as usual. After a while, I began to notice how many different emotions I would go through in a 15-minute period (when my screen-time notification would pop up, and I would inevitably ignore it). Then I decided when I saw a video that evoked a strong emotion in me, I would stop scrolling entirely and close the app, no matter how much I wanted to keep scrolling.
This progression eventually helped me break out of my doomscrolling cycle, but it wasn’t immediate, and it isn’t the goal of today’s practice.
For now, start small. Choose one moment and notice it without turning it into an assignment. You aren’t looking for something to fix- you’re practicing seeing your life as it is. Change can come later. Today, noticing is enough.
