Nudged: Practice noticing
We’ve done variations of this Nudge before, inspired by artist Jenny Odell who introduced me to the idea of bird-noticing. Not just watching for a specific bird and checking it off a list, but giving attention to the birds that share my space in the world, noticing their colors and behaviors, listening to their songs. Life changing!
And then, during the pandemic, I was inspired by friends who changed up their walks by setting out with an intention to notice everything in a certain color or style. I recall sharing on Instagram photos of all the purple in my neighborhood. So much fun!
There’s also an element of doing nothing in this, of allowing yourself to rest and noticing your own thoughts and feelings. For inspiration, check out this article about the Dutch practice of niksen (doing nothing).
Let’s slow down a bit this week. Pick any sense you’d like to delight and reawaken, and notice.
What Happened: I dove right in and set out on a walk with plans to notice everything red and noticed there’s very little of this color in my neighborhood…and in my home. Huh. Does this mean something? Do I need to inject some more passion into my life? Or is this a good sign that I’m not “seeing red” everywhere I look? Hmmmm…
On Monday, I set out looking for “persistence,” for example, small wildflowers blossoming out of cracks in the sidewalk. I found a bunch of scraggly weeds, which wasn’t exactly the beautiful message I sought—HA! And then I looked up to discover an abundance of beauty in hanging flower baskets!
This caused me to also notice the street-level planters filled with thriving plants. (See the featured image.) Loveliness! (BTW, I sent an email to our local merchants’ association when I got back to the office, to thank them for installing and maintaining them.)
I could have checked this Nudge as “nudged” at this point, but I found myself going deeper as the week progressed and noticing what is going on within me. Without getting into too many details, 2023 has been a challenging year. I have been giving a lot of myself to care for others while feeling like I’m failing at everything. “I feel like I’m drowning,” I wrote in my journal on one especially hard day.
A few months ago, when I felt exhausted on every level (physical, mental, emotional), I acknowledged that this “funk” I’ve been experiencing for some time is depression, and I have sought help. I now keep a list handy of things I can do to lift myself up, from calling someone for support, to going to the gym, taking a cool shower, writing out a gratitude list, or completing one easily completable task. It’s a moment-by-moment practice, and it helps.
I am better at noticing when I’m entering a downward spiral, and this week’s Nudge was another chance to practice the noticing and the regrouping. I called someone who is also going through this, and we shared and supported each other. I then sorted and folded the pile of clean laundry that had taken up residence on my reading chair, and cleared that space. I felt my heaviness lighten.
The Ah-Hahs: Last night, in the space when I’m usually dashing from my office and the work of the day to the kitchen for my “second full-time job,” I requested a break. Not a nap, not early to bed; just 10 minutes to pause. As I lay on my bed, I noticed the quiet and the calm. I listened to my breath and felt my feelings. And I acknowledged myself for noticing what it is I need most—which is caring for myself first—and then doing it.
