Paying Attention

With everything going on in our world, my boundaries around news intake has been very porous, making full presence feel impossible on so many days. I often beat myself up for not being more “present” and I struggle when I feel I can't “savor the moments” easily. So if this one was hard for you too, I'm extending you so much compassion.

As I've thought about regaining focus, while still extending myself compassion, I was really inspired by this interview between Ezra Klein and Johann Hari. Johann Hari in his new book, “Stolen Focus" says, “It feels like our civilization has been covered with itching powder and we spend our time twitching and twerking our minds, unable to simply give attention to things that matter.”

Attention is the most precious resource we have — it’s the window through which we experience our lives. And for many of us, that window is fogging.

I'm just now digging into Hari's book, however, simply bringing my awareness to what has my attention throughout the day has been a really helpful practice.

This month of April, I'm going to take note of what has my attention throughout the day. And since life is the sum total of what we pay attention to, this feels like a really important practice. I invite you to join in this practice with me. I'd love to hear what you notice.

Recognizing beauty in a world on fire promises a better life, a better way to survive. Beauty is not decorous, it is medicinal.

-Ocean Vuong