I’m not sure about you, but my whole TikTok right now is full of “The Art of Noticing” videos (probably because I always interact with them). If you haven’t seen them, they are essentially montages of simple clips - such as waves turning, a candle burning, people dancing, or sun coming through the window. Even though these are not my own videos, I have found a sense of peace in watching them. I came across a paragraph that perfectly puts the way I feel from these videos into words:
“Love is the most infinite and effortless presence in this world. It’s found in the tiny crevices of human nature - in the way the flowers bloom and in the way birds always have enough to eat. It’s in hospital rooms, grocery stores, in home cooked meals, and in the smiles of passing strangers. Love is in the music you listen to, and in the jokes you make, and in the way you return home for the holidays. Love is in the ‘are you ok’ and ‘get home safe’ and ‘did you have enough to eat.’ Love is in the way your heart beats everyday and how your body wakes up every morning and how your soul continues to exist so freely.”
I think the reason I love this trend and this specific paragraph is because it proves the importance of living in the opposite of hustle culture. In today’s world, there is so much pulling at our attention - social media, school, work, social commitments, etc. We become so busy that we often miss the love and joy that is right around us.
The cool thing about the Art of Noticing is it doesn’t have to be any grand gesture or event. Love can be in complimenting a stranger, in letting friends borrow your clothes, in noticing how the rain makes the plants more lively. Joy can be in trying a new recipe that turns out well, noticing you got a better night of sleep than the night before, or having a workout that leaves you feeling amazing. It doesn’t even have to be something that happens directly to you - it could be noticing the love you see between two friends walking to class together, or someone offering up a charger to another in class. The other day at Kofenya, a simple note I noticed on the wall, “Take care of yourself kid” had the ability to turn my day around simply because I gave my full attention and awareness to it. Yesterday, the shadow of my coffee steaming reflected onto the wall from the sun in the morning.
When I am stressed or anxious about the future, the Art of Noticing has helped me tremendously. When we consciously notice the small things, we are given a new perspective to live where our feet are, to be thankful for where we are right now, and to appreciate what is happening as it is unfolding. When you intentionally look for it, you will notice that love and joy really is all around you (I promise)!