For all of the things in life that require a sense of urgency, it can still matter to create space for making the kind of connections that turn passing details into reference points. Not only does a brief pause allow real rest, it also builds new links that matter for the journey ahead.
Some of the most profound connections and understandings emerge slowly. It might not feel like it in the moment, but a year from now, you will be able to look back on the notes you took today. The small things that you captured that seemed mundane. The lessons learned, the wisdom gathered. You will be able to realize that even in small ways, you have been allowing yourself to continuously engage in life, one day at a time. Focus on taking note of the small things and give yourself something to look back on.
Here are a few ideas of things you could try:
– Open up your notes app or your notebook and write down five things you’re grateful for. However, make an effort to write down the kind of things that would normally be overlooked.
– Record a voice memo that is a note to your future self. If you find that listening to your own voice is distracting, you can use a transcription tool to just read it later, too.
– Take five photographs of something in your environment––no matter if they have a beautiful aesthetic or not. You know those nostalgic photos from the 80s and 90s? They were taken in moments like this, oftentimes when someone was just testing out a disposable camera. Embrace the spontaneity and document, even when it seems unremarkable right now.
Let small practices like this become a part of intentionally allowing some things to grow slowly in your life. Even if you don’t use what you’ve created for some kind of final product or creative project, it is still something you can try to practice noticing the details, right, and allowing this to be something that can grow with time. In other words, do them with the intention that they will gain significance with time in their own unique way, and as you grow, you will recall it all in new ways, too.
-Morgan Harper Nichols
