How to Notice 👀
Dolphins, bunnies, & choosing what you look for
Looking for Dolphins & Bunnies 🐬🐇
One of my favorite things to do on a beach vacation is wake up early and watch the sunrise - the way the beach goes from empty, dark, and quiet to alive, bright, and full.
Sunrise also happens to be one of the best times to spot dolphins.
As I sit and watch the sun turn not only the sky but also the water all different shades of pastel colors, I also watch the surface for fins.
Sometimes, I think I see one, but it turns out to be something else entirely - like a bird floating out in the distance.
But when I’m really paying attention, I almost always spot one.
Lately, I’ve found a way to bring one of my favorite vacation traditions into my everyday walks here in Indiana.
The other day, I decided to look for bunnies on my morning walk. Jackson and I have seen so many this spring, and I wanted to count to see how many I could find.
Yesterday, I saw seven!
Today, I saw one.
Yet, I have gone on so many walks before Saturday and seen none.
Why?
Partly because it wasn’t the right time of day or I wasn’t walking in the right spot.
But mainly because I just wasn’t looking.
You get to choose what you look for.
I can choose to go on a walk and spend the whole time looking for things that send me spiraling in fear or anxiety.
Or
I can choose to go on a walk and look for bunnies.
I can choose to go to work looking for all the other things I wish I were doing.
Or
I can choose to go to work looking for all the things I am grateful for about my job.
I can choose to spend my evening scrolling on my phone, looking for all the ways their lives are more exciting than mine.
Or
I can choose to spend my evening with people I love, looking for all the ways I can be a blessing to them and all the ways they are a blessing to me.
What is it you are looking for?
Sometimes I like to write in abstracts, so let’s turn this into something applicable.
Practically Speaking
What animal could you look for on your daily walks?
Maybe for you it isn’t bunnies or dolphins. Maybe it’s cardinals or butterflies or deer.
Pick something and start counting.
Metaphorically Speaking
What do you want to notice or see more of in your everyday life?
Maybe it’s God. Or maybe it’s art and creativity. Maybe it’s people’s humanity and vulnerability.
Pick something and start noticing - it’s all around you. It has been all along.
It’s often not our surroundings that change but our sight.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this newsletter, it would mean so much to me if you would share it with a friend!
Take care,
Caroline