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Notice Something Beautiful



Our unconscious mind can process 11 million bits of information in a second, while our conscious mind can only process about 50 bits of information in that same second. (Wiliam, 2006).  That is wildly fascinating to me. Why did I start this post with a random brain factoid? Because I believe life is amazing. I believe our brains are amazing. Let me explain. 

 

At any given moment, there are 11 million bits of information available to us. A pointless fact unless there is a practical application. Try something with me. Take a minute to notice your surroundings. What color is the floor beneath you? How does the air feel against your skin? What sounds can you hear? Life is rich with details. Colors, shapes, tones, sensations, feelings, tastes. If we take the time to pause, to stop living for tomorrow’s worries or yesterday’s failures, we gift ourselves and others our presence.  

 

Not convinced yet? Consider two versions of the same day. In the first version, you wake up and immediately notice how tired you are. You quickly shuffle through your closet and pick out something to wear. Traffic on the way to work is awful, so you end up walking in five minutes late. The morning troubles overflow into the rest of the day, and you want to get home. Your evening commute takes even longer than the morning, reminding you just how much you hate driving in the city. By the time you get home, you’re exhausted, anxious, and not in a good mood. You missed a call from your brother earlier, but you’re too tired to respond now. After a quick microwave dinner and a couple of hours spent scrolling on TikTok, you go to sleep. 

 

In the second version of the day, you wake up and notice some birds singing outside of your window. You’re a bit tired, but you still enjoy their song. As you’re picking out your outfit for work, you remember you just washed one of your favorite shirts, which brings a smile to your face. Traffic is slow on the way to work, so you get to listen to a few extra minutes of a new audiobook your friend recommended. You arrive a few minutes late, but you still enjoy the brisk morning air as you walk to your building. While the coffee at your work is bitter and a bit burnt, you decide to try a new combination of flavored creamers, which helps. During the evening traffic, you mentally plan out a new recipe to try for dinner. Once home, you return a call from your brother, who lets you know he is in town, so you invite him over for dinner. After dinner, you spend some time catching up before he heads home, and you head to sleep, tired but grateful for the day. 

 

I know you might still be skeptical. I would be. The truth is that we each have to decide all the time whether to engage or not. We need simplicity and mental breaks sometimes. Other times, though, we can get caught up in the general busyness of life. We can forget just what a miracle life is. My encouragement is to take a little time today to notice something beautiful. 


-Therapist Nathan

 

Reference 

Wiliam, D. (2006). The half‐second delay: What follows? Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 14(1),  

 
 
 
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