A Moment of Noticing: Tender Vittles
"May you always be the one who notices the little things that makes the light pour through." — Unknown
As we move throughout the day from one task to the next, it’s good to slow down to observe the what that is right in front of us, to notice the vivid details and the wonder in the ordinary moments.
Ordinary everyday moments. They pass us by with a blink of an eye.
A couple sitting in the background. A red bike with its front wheel turned left. The walking stick on the green bench. These details bring the moment alive but we can easily overlook them.
We glance, we categorize, assuming we know it already, and then we move on.
By being present and noticing we can show up in each moment with intentionality, curiosity, and creativity to pay attention to what we hear, see, feel, and make sense of the world around us.
This exercise is an invitation to practice something different, to notice the details
Instructions:
First Look (10 seconds)
Glance at the image. Write down everything that comes to mind immediately. Don’t filter.Slow Look (10 minutes)
Now really look. Go edge to edge, corner to corner, top to bottom, front to back.
Reflect on these questions:What else is here?
What details live outside the obvious?
What did you assume was in this image that you never actually verified?
Now think about your last meeting or design review. What were you so sure you already understood that you stopped listening?
What details did someone offer that you filed away as not important and moved past?
Train yourself to see beyond the obvious to notice everything else.
Every time we practice slowing down in this practice, we build the muscle for slowing down for a moment of noticing out there, when needed.
May curiosity be your guide. ✊🏽
Rizwan
Artwork
Title: From Scenes Unseen: From the Summer of ‘78
Date: 1978
Artist: D. Gorton
Medium: Photograph
Source: The New York Times