You know what I've noticed?

We say it at school. We say it at home. We say it when we want someone to listen.

But I sometimes wonder: how often are we actually taught what paying attention means?

To me, it begins with a simple question:

“What’s going on?”

That question brings us back to where we are right now.

We can notice the space around us.

We can notice what is happening.

And we can notice what we're feeling in the moment.

Even something as simple as sitting quietly and taking a breath can become a practice in paying attention.

Feel your feet inside your shoes.

Notice the chair beneath you.

Listen to the sounds around you.

Notice your breathing.

There is so much happening in a single moment that we can easily miss when our minds are somewhere else.

And perhaps that's why paying attention is more than simply listening when someone says, “Pay attention.”

It's a practice of becoming present to our own lives.

The more we practice noticing ourselves, the more we may begin to notice the world around us, too.

Maybe paying attention isn't about trying harder to concentrate.

Maybe it's about learning to be here for the moment we're actually living.

If you have a little time, come join me on YouTube for my latest video, How Good Are You at Paying Attention? (SIMPLE EXERCISE). I’d love to share a little more about this quiet guide within us.  Watch on YouTube

Be well,

Deb “Shanti” Kelly Grandma on a Mission | Founder of Life Ingredients Helping children learn how to manage life—and live it well. ❤️