My surroundings come into focus when I pay attention, and so do I. When I slow down enough to notice what is actually around me, things begin to feel clearer. I have only written about a few of the ways journaling has helped me, even though I struggle with many things in life. Journaling gives me a place to slow down, sort through those struggles, and identify what I need to work on. It helps bring my life lens into focus.
Things Show Up When We Are Ready
Most of what I write about comes from my own life. Usually it starts with something I am actively experiencing. Over the years, I have learned that whatever needs to show up in your life does. It does not always arrive in obvious ways. Sometimes it appears as a line in a television show, a lyric in a song, or a quote from a book. Whatever it is, what we need to hear shows up when we are ready and willing to receive it.
Think about a movie you have seen more than once. Each time you watch it, something different stands out. A line you did not notice before suddenly resonates. A song lyric finally makes sense. Words from a book take on new meaning. I have found that we only receive what we are ready to receive. When I need to make a change, something appears to help guide that change. If I need to grieve, a podcast episode about grief seems to find its way to me.
Seeing Versus Being Part of What Is Around Us
I do not know if there is science behind this. It may have something to do with what is already at the front of our minds, allowing us to notice things more clearly that relate to a pressing thought, problem, or situation. Recently, I read the words, “stop seeing things in front of you and instead be a part of what is around you.” I know this may sound a little strange, but it made me stop and think.
When I am only seeing what is in front of me, I am usually focused on myself. I miss the beauty of the hardwood floor beneath my feet and the trees it once came from. The flowers outside become blurs of color instead of individual petals and leaves. The world can begin to feel like a wash of color because I am not taking the time to notice the details of what I am a part of.
Energy, Connection, and Awareness
To see is one thing. To allow ourselves to be immersed in what surrounds us, including people and places, is something entirely different. When we begin to notice the energy others carry and see them not just as physical characteristics but as living beings, something shifts. We are all energy reacting to the energy that surrounds us.
We may not look alike or act alike, but at our core we are the same. We breathe the same air. We touch the same oceans and streams, not at the same time but through the cycle of evaporation and rain. A single drop of water may have touched thousands of others over time, nourished forests, or covered mountains in snow. In this way, we are connected not only through our physical bodies but through the shared movement of life itself.
Not only do we sense the world with our eyes, we also feel energy from others, especially when we are in tune enough to notice it. Think about it this way. Have you ever met someone who immediately rubbed you the wrong way, even though you could not explain why? What if it was their energy you were responding to?
Energy can be transferred to others without us realizing it is happening. Anxious movements, nervous fiddling, or tension can quietly pass from one person to another. We pick it up without consciously choosing to.
So what does it really mean to be a part of your surroundings. I think part of it is being present. Presence allows us to become part of what is around us instead of moving through it on autopilot.
Most of the time we live inside our heads. We think about what we need to get done that day, what happened at work yesterday, or the crush we might have on someone. We replay the past or imagine the future. When present we are not doing either of those things, we are immersed in our surroundings.
I don’t realize how oblivious I am to my surroundings until I catch myself at the end of a task. I might start out paying attention while washing a glass, but before I know it, autopilot takes over. I know I washed the rim, the inside, and the outside, but I cannot recall the actual movements of my hand. It is similar to driving on the freeway and missing your exit because your mind was somewhere else. Our minds and bodies are incredible and will take over when needed, but what if we focused more often on what we are actually doing. Could we feel closer to people and things simply by being present longer?
Listening and Being Seen
Consider how we show up in conversation. Sometimes we are fully engaged, listening carefully, trying to understand where the other person is coming from. Other times we are only pretending to listen. We are already thinking about our response, how to sound smart, or how to make the other person see us and our ideas. In those moments, we are not trying to understand them, we are only focused on ourselves and how we want others to perceive us.
Hopefully, at some point in life, most of us realize how important listening and genuine engagement really are. We all know how good it feels to be seen and heard. What feels even better is making someone else feel that way. When I started truly listening, without getting distracted or preparing my next response, everything changed.
It reminds me of the Golden Rule, ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” When we listen with presence and care, we offer others the very thing we all want. So give what you want to receive.
Coming Back to the Moment
As we become more present, we begin to notice more. The more we notice, the more connected we feel, and the more capable we are of relating to and helping others. Helping others takes me out of my own head and brings me back into the present moment, much like writing does.
When I slow down enough to be present, whether through writing, listening, or simply noticing what is around me, I feel more connected to myself and to others. Journaling gives me a place to practice that presence. It helps me step out of my head and into the moment, allowing space to notice patterns, energy, and the quiet ways life communicates with us. Writing becomes less about fixing something and more about paying attention. It is one of the ways I remind myself to pause, to listen, and to be a part of what is already here.
Reflection
Think about the last time someone was truly present for you. How did it make you feel? Did you feel seen and heard? Jot it down and see where it takes you.