Nudged: Practice concentration
This week’s Nudge is inspired by The Owner’s Manual to Life by Michael Zajaczkowski. I had the privilege of reviewing this book ahead of its 2023 release, and it has since become a daily devotional with 100 “simple strategies to worry less and enjoy life more.”
In chapter 91, Mike suggests a few ways to “Practice mindfulness.” This line struck a chord with me:
anything is interesting if you stare at it for a few minutes.
What comes to mind is pulling out an old magnifying glass and studying the interior of a flower…or a piece of fabric, or the bark of a tree.
Or I could take a few moments to savor a mouthful of something, noticing texture, viscosity, and nuances of flavors.
Or I could turn off all the noise in my world (phone, computer, news) and get lost in a beautiful piece of music.
So many options for slowing down and delighting my senses.
Let’s explore our worlds a little more deeply this week.
What Happened: This Nudge coincided with my latest efforts to get better at practicing calm mindfulness, so perfect timing–as well as a reminder that this is challenging for me. It shouldn’t be. I mean, taking just 10 minutes out of the 1,440 minutes in a day shouldn’t be that hard!
I dove in Monday by taking out my magnifying glass and closely examining something I wear every day: my grandmother’s engagement ring. Ninety-nine years ago, my grandmother received it from the love of her life, and when she gifted it to me, I was deeply touched. It’s one of my true treasures. I’ve always thought it was simple, so was delighted to discover what I assumed were design details in the band were actually small stones! Well done, Granddad!
Tuesday I fought a myriad of distractions (I really suck at this) until I sat my butt in a chair late in the day and again pulled out the magnifying glass. This day’s object of study was a leaf from a “money tree,” a plant I water almost daily but otherwise take for granted. I examined the veins and shades of green. I pinched it to release its scents of forest, garden, freshness. Lovely.
Early Wednesday, as I lay in the dark and waited for the alarm to “start” my day, I listened to the sounds in my bedroom. Most prominently, the snores of my sweet dog Bear. Actually, the sound he made was more of a gentle purr.
Midday Thursday, I returned to the bedroom for a lie-down. I chose Thor’s side, and after again fighting distractions (the ongoing to-do list of work and household projects, a dog who was not in the mood for a nap), I breathed in all the scents of the room (wet dog is a top note) and counted my blessings. I have much to be grateful for.
This morning I was awake ahead of the sun again, and took the time to notice the quiet-ish sounds from the ones I love most. How beautiful to start my day with a full heart.
The Ah-Hahs: Did I “concentrate”? Hmmm…might be a little fudging on this one. But I did slow down, delight my senses (especially my hearing), and counted my many blessings. A successfully completed Nudge, I think.
