One Apple A Day #717 - choose or chase
"To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work."
Mary Oliver
They say that energy flows where attention goes. In every moment, our senses are flooded with signals. They are so many that our mind can't really process all of them without overloading and getting stuck. According to a study by a neuroscientist named Manfred Zimmermann, 99.9996% of the information that you sense, goes unnoticed by your mind.
And it is on that tiny fraction of information, that we source our words and actions.
What defines the direction of our attention?
Is it a conscious choice or an unconscious one?
Sometimes I feel that my attention is informed by a chase. Something I need or have to achieve. I know when my attention is chase-driven because I always feel a step behind. My vision is narrowed on the object of my pursuit, and the rest of the world becomes blurred. I soon go out of breath and find my self exhausted.
In contrast, when I choose where to put my attention, my vision opens, time expands, and I feel energized.
Think about the things you're giving your attention right now, do they make you feel energized? Is it a chase you're in, or is it a choice?