What you Focus On, Expands

I love my morning walk-a-runs, being out in the open. They give me a sense of accomplishment and help me connect with nature. Sometimes, these walks feel meditative. A few times, I have even lost my sense of direction, which felt surprisingly soothing.

But there are times when my body is moving while my mind is still stuck in a meeting, replaying a conversation, solving a problem, or planning what to do next.

And recently, I read about a simple experiment called an “𝗮𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸*.”

In this experiment, people took a short walk each week and tried to notice something that amazed them. It didn’t have to be a mountain or a stunning landscape. But simple things. It could be the way light falls through the trees, a strange cloud, the color of a leaf, or something familiar seen in a new way.

They also took photos of themselves during each walk.

Over time, something interesting happened. The pictures started taking up less space in their selfies, showing more of the landscape. Their smiles also became more noticeable.

No one told them to change how they took photos. Maybe their photos changed because their focus shifted. And when the focus shifted, the content in the frame changed.

I found that interesting.

A lot of our lives naturally focus on ourselves. Our work, responsibilities, worries, achievements, and disappointments. The more we think about them, the more they seem to take up all our attention. I am reminded of the appreciative inquiry principle: “𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀.”

Feeling awe reminds us that we are part of something bigger. And also 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 for the simple things that surround us. What we generally tend to ignore. They are so familiar that we forget to notice.

To become more present, we may simply need to step outside, slow down, and notice more of the world around us.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆.

When was the last time something made you stop, look again, and forget yourself for a moment? And you felt grateful for the abundance you missed out on earlier?

P.S. This picture I shot during a walk. A reminder that awe is often hidden in the small details we usually pass by. I named this picture – The World We Often Miss