Try this and prepare to be amazed
From the Most Inspiring Speaker You Haven’t Hired, Yet.
Since I know we’re all looking for things to do, why not try spending a few minutes in my world just for the fun of it. I challenge you to close your eyes, or even better, put on a blindfold and then continue about your life for a few minutes. By a few minutes I mean long enough to immerse yourself in the experience. A few seconds, or even one or two minutes won’t be enough time for your other senses to perk up and start sending you the new information that you probably never paid attention to before, and that is my challenge to you. Get in touch with your other senses.
If you can, go for a walk and really listen to the sounds. Flowing water always causes me to pause and listen and maybe even daydream a little. If you don’t have a river to listen to, close your eyes the next time you’re near a fountain. You’ll be amazed how it can clear your mind. I love listening to all the different birds, bugs and frogs, and identifying the different kinds. Hearing the wind in the trees and noticing the difference between the deciduous trees and the evergreens. Hearing the gravel under some tires and noting if that was that a gas car or a diesel truck. And then there are the bicycles going past and the joggers, at least in my neighborhood. Don’t forget to pay attention to the sound coming from your feet as they encounter different surfaces. A whole new world will open up through your ears if you just pay attention.
But that, of course, is just where my world starts. Don’t just focus on you’re listening, pay attention to your sense of smell too and the entire experience will just explode with new sensations, especially this time of year. With spring approaching, there will be an abundance of different fragrances that are blooming all around you that you may have never let yourself experience before. Even enjoy the stagnant water because I’m sure it has a purpose too.
If you’re in an urban environment, there is a whole other world of sounds and smells that I know others around me don’t experience because they never seem to be aware of them until I mention it. Things like the various aromas wafting out the wide array of restaurants available to us. Then there are all the different voices, accents, ranges and emotions that come at you from all directions. And there is always the sound of traffic, which often drowns out everything else. That’s why I suggested the nature walk first.
If you’re in your home, try to navigate around. You know where everything is in your living room. You put it there. Can you walk through the room while talking on your cell phone and not collide with the furniture or bump into the wall? Can you find the exit by listening to the echo of your voice? How about your family? Can you tell where they are by the sound of their footsteps or clicks of the light switches as the enter and exit different rooms. How about getting yourself a drink or making yourself a snack? If you want to really test yourself, try emptying your dishwasher. (That one took me a while to master.)
At a minimum, just try taking a walk with someone, maybe your kids, and close your eyes. Let them guide you, and you can guide them, relying on everything I mentioned above, and your total appreciation of your world will change.
For more wisdom from Craig MacFarlane visit findyourflame.com
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