The Importance of Intentional Attention

Let’s talk about intentional attention✨

As I’ve said many times in the past, we usually are living on autopilot. It’s easy to get caught up in our routines and thinking patterns, which is totally normal! When we live mindlessly, we usually miss out on a lot of things like gut feelings, or messages from our senses. This can leave us feeling unhappy, stuck, and even stressed.

So, what exactly is intentional attention and why is it important? It means you are making the conscious decision to give your full attention to something. It could mean you decide to fully pay attention to someone when they're speaking, or even to your food while you eat. Mindfulness plays a huge roll in this as well! They basically go hand in hand because you are being fully present.

When we intentionally pay attention to ourselves & our surroundings, life gets a whole lot better! We begin to appreciate small things like the smell of flowers outside, or the beauty of clear blue skies. We’re also more in tune with ourselves and how we feel/think. This can actually be pretty simple to do, and will leave you feeling happier + content.

Here are some practices that will help you intentionally pay attention: 

1. Choose one activity today that you will allow yourself to fully pay attention to each aspect of that experience.
2. Do one thing at a time.
3. Pay attention to your senses. Maybe choose one each day to really focus on.
4. Really listen to someone who is speaking to you. Keep eye contact, and listen to what they are saying before thinking of a response.
5. Go outside. Notice the sounds and things you see. Try to use all senses.

When doing these, remember to just acknowledge anything that comes up (thoughts, emotions, etc.). The more you practice this, the easier it will be to do. It's time to be fully present, and give our attention to the world around us!