One of my favorite weekly newsletters has a section called “Paying attention to:” and it holds a list of the things that grabbed the writer’s attention or that they want to draw your attention to, including ideas or works they want to champion.
Attention has become endlessly fascinating to me as a place of discovery. Maybe the best explanation for attention that I’ve ever heard is that attention is a type of energy. Giving anything your focus is to direct energy at it, and attention is incredibly powerful when there is intention and direction behind it. Attention allows things to be seen, to be made visible, to be real and alive.
So my favorite question right now is “what are you paying attention to?” Sometimes, if we don’t know the answers we’re seeking consciously, this question points the way. It tells you what your subconscious thinks is important and worthy of dedicating resources to. Or if you’re reading a book, or listening to a podcast, or in a conversation and something jumps out at you or sticks with you, could those be messages from your intuition that those ideas are worth holding onto because they hold a deeper meaning for you?
What you’re paying attention to is the birthplace of intrinsic motivation. It’s allowing yourself to trust that those ideas or inspirations or desires that feel alive and are pulling you forward are a worthy guide. Let yourself follow them and see where they go.
This is the thing I wish I would have known when I felt so lost during my burnout years. When it felt so much easier to listen and follow and trust everyone else because I didn’t know WTF anyone meant when they talked about listening to your intuition. What did that actually feel like? It felt random and nebulous and confusing and how was I supposed to know which voices in my head to listen to or trust?
Attention – now that I can do. It takes practice, but I can feel when it’s right, when everything starts to come together and connect. When the focus point in my camera is attuned to what I want a picture to be about (what’s in focus?), I can feel that it’s time to click the shutter. When I can draw my attention onto the people in my yoga class and notice what’s happening in their bodies instead of all the fear I feel in mine, I feel us all relax. When I realize that an idea has been following me around and collecting other ideas with it, I know that it’s time to write about it.
And that’s the energy I’m bringing into the beginning of all the new seasons on the horizon. What do you feel pulled toward? What do you want to pay attention to? What ideas, needs, and desires refuse to leave you alone?
ONLY ONE CLASS LEFT!
meet me on the mat on monday
An hour of gentle breath and restorative (and shame-free) movement to let you connect to yourself during the holiday season.
DATE: 12/19
PLACE: A comfortable spot with access to Zoom
TIME: 9:00a CT for 60 minutes
(or go at your own pace – all sessions will be recorded and available to watch for one week)
COST: $25 per session
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