Nudging: 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.