What Do You See?

Because there is so much emphasis in my articles and posts (as well as in my book Rewiring the Soul) on the subject of gratitude, and because I encourage readers and clients to find that state of gratitude by simply looking at something beautiful in their surroundings and then being grateful for its beauty in their lives, I have realized how many people simply are not seeing what is there. Frequently, after have recommended the above method, if the individual in question has then put it into practice, I am then told:

• I had never really seen that beautiful tree at the end of my street
• I had never really noticed how lovely the road I take to my job every day actually is
• I had never really paid any attention to the views I get when I turn the corner into the parking lot

What does this tell us? The person in question - and it applies to so many of us - is not being conscious and aware of what he/she is seeing. By not being aware, it is simply not seen.

Why does this happen? Because we tend to get lost in our thoughts. The mind chatter that takes over, like an out-of-control remote control that continually zaps and surfs from channel to channel occupies our awareness. Better said, it prevents our awareness from surfacing.

How many times have you driven a familiar route, one that you know very well, and that requires little direct attention, other than if another driver becomes careless or reckless? And how many times have you said to yourself, when you reach your destination: hmm, already here? I never noticed passing by the shopping mall, the university complex, or the park. And of course, you were not consciously aware of any of those because you were literally lost in thought.

Being lost in thought doesn't happen if you are conscious. You may be concentrating on thinking about something specific, but you remain conscious and aware. You do not lose yourself.

So when your eyes are open, what do you see? Do you see the beauty that is around you (no matter where you live), or do you pass it by, on automatic, and lose all sense of being in the present moment? Because when you are lost in thought in the way desacribed above, that is exactly what happens: you lose your present moments, which means that you lose bits of your life.

What are you seeing today?

For more about gratitude and living in the now, get my book Rewiring the Soul: Finding the Possible Self, available in paperback and e-Book for Kindle formats. Click here to download the first chapter.

Product Description from Amazon

Ask anyone, whatever their circumstances, if their life is vibrant, fulfilling, harmonious and happy. An honest reply is likely to be 'no', because to answer a truthful 'yes' is no mean feat. Only to grow psychologically and emotionally is not enough. And only to grow spiritually is not enough either. All three dimensions need to be developed in order to realize your full potential. If you are willing to assume total responsibility for the self and to start what is an on-going journey, you will quickly begin to glimpse the first fruits of the ultimate goal: inner well-being, freedom, peace, harmony and joy. This book sets out the pathway to self-mastery and self-discovery and walking that pathway will be the most exciting adventure of your life.

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