Now more than ever, we are being pushed to think about what matters to us most -- spending more time with our families, being more intentional about our health, tapping into our inner creative. The Art of Noticing suggests simple and playful exercises to rediscover and notice what's important to us.
One activity, for instance, is to practice digital silence. This is a particularly tricky one.
"By various estimates, a typical smartphone owner checks a device 150 times per day -- every six minutes -- and touches, swipes or taps it more than 2,500 times." I mean, who knew?
There is so much information that we want to absorb (or not) because of the current pandemic. What with all the fake news and whatnots, sometimes we just want a break from it all.
What if social media enforced limits (God forbid) like 3 posts a month or instant message two people per week? Would you appreciate a break from all the unnecessary white noise? "Would this make us restrict ourselves to saying only what really mattered?"
Another activity suggests to care for something. The book points out that we all get to decide what we want to care about or pay attention to; whether it's getting dressed up, playing an instrument, working out or the people in our lives, there are things that only we notice and other people overlook. This made me realize that we all have our own perspectives and preferences and this is what makes us unique in our creativity.
The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday. by Rob Walker.
Enjoy reading and start noticing!
Love,
Nina
Nina Quintos
Author