Never underestimate the power of observation. When is the last time you observed something? I mean REALLY observed something? Not just looked at it, but observed it…
This thought occurred to me as I am house/dog sitting for a friend. I’ve owned dogs in the past but haven’t had one in a loooong long time. Watching his two dogs interact with each other and with me was interesting to say the least. Observing their various facial expressions based on what they’re wanting, observing how they act in different situations, and even observing my own behaviors based on their behavior. Fascinating. It reminded me of how much of my physical athletic ability has been attributed to observing cats and how they move, play, jump, etc.
That got me to thinking how we treat life. Some of us are observers, some of us aren’t. People may THINK they are observant but in all reality they are just cruising through life, paying minimal attention to what is perceived as necessary details to get them to the next step in their day but that’s about it. If people would actually pay attention and make observations, life would be very different.
As a good observer, you can observe the world around you and act accordingly. Observe how your significant other acts when you say or do certain things and watch your relationship grow. Observe how he/she reacts when you do certain things while being intimate and watch your intimacy grow. Observe how your coworkers respond to various situations and you’ll find yourself becoming a more important part of the company. Observe how your kids react to how you interact with them and you’ll see you can have a better understanding on how to raise them to be superb people. Observe how animals live and you’ll find yourself being faster, leaner, more flexible. The list goes on…
Take some time to perform a few simple exercises to get you to be an observer.
- When driving in the car, change the music to something completely opposite what you normally listen to. Try some heavy metal, try some classic. How does that affect your driving behaviors and your mood?
- Turn most of the lights out in the house after the sun goes down. Try keeping the house brightly lit until midnight. Notice any differences in your sleep schedule?
- Try smiling at everyone you walk past when you’re out? Do you observe more people smiling back and being friendly?
- Eat an apple inside. Now eat an apple outside. Notice a difference? Does it make you want to eat outdoors more?
There is an infinite amount of little things you can try here and there to notice how the world interacts with you and vice versa. Usually we’re too busy to even notice but if you begin to make an effort to actually observe actions and reactions, you’ll find yourself becoming more aware of who you are, who you want to me, and how you act. When you observe the world around you, when you observe how just one tiny seemingly inconsequential action can lead to something else, you see a whole new world opening up to you and begin to learn so much more in life.
