It is amazing what you notice when you really stop and look.

Often we stumble through life at full tilt without really stopping to notice what is around us – in our homes, in our communities, in our families, in our relationships, even in our own bodies. But when we choose to stop and look, and focus on what is right under our noses, it is amazing what we see.

Characteristics and abilities in friends or family that we normally take for granted but can choose to call out as encouragement. Patterns of communication that are unhelpful but so deeply ingrained that we fail to spot them and the damage they do. Little acts of kindness we can perform along the way that we might otherwise miss the opportunity to do.

The Now Thing.
Furthermore, on reflecting on how easy it is to stop and look at life right now, I also see the impact of our busy lives. I am an organized sort of person and whilst I am un-learning my tendency to be a control freak, this most definitely remains a work in progress. I also like a challenge and change. This is not always a great combination.

The danger is that I am so busy thinking about The Next Thing that I miss the NOW thing – that which is happening right now, right under my nose, right this minute.

It might be a comment or a kind gesture, a colour or smell, a laugh and an aside from a friend. Perhaps even a change in body language that indicates unhappiness or unease from someone in the room. These are all so easily missed when I fail to stop and look, when I am heading at full tilt towards what is The Next Thing.

And yet, all these things are tiny blessings in their own right, each worth stopping to notice and appreciate.

To quote the great film, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Being present to NOW, to HERE, to TODAY is an art and a skill.

Learning to stop and look takes time and practice. We choose to retrain our brains to capture and let go of the thoughts that keep us focused on fears of what might be to come. We choose instead be present to what we can do right now. Learn to embrace right now, here!