SUNDAY SLOWDOWN | The Art of Attention
“The experience of mystery comes not from expecting it but through yielding all your programs, because your programs are based on fear and desire. Drop them, and the radiance comes.” - Joseph Campbell
There is an art to living in a considered way. It asks for attention. It requires discipline. It quietly asks, or loudly demands, that we slow down long enough to know what deserves our energy and attention. How we use it becomes what we make. What we choose becomes the life we live. I originally created these prompts as a way of working, but what is work without the beautiful balance of artful living? Whether you're taking time to create a thoughtful afternoon antipasti for friends, or working on a work-related project, the principles are the same. Where you place your attention and energy shapes the world you create.
1. Choose quality over quantity where it matters. It always matters.
Whether it's a project, a conversation, or an artistic pursuit, give it your full presence rather than your divided attention. Beauty lives in the details of not just what we create, but how we create it.
2. Distinguish yourself in a unique way. Different beats better every time.
Your perspective and point of view is uniquely you. Instead of trying to be the best version of someone else, become the most beautifully true and authentic version of yourself. The world needs what only you can offer.
3. Add value. What values do you value?
Before asking what you can get, ask what you can give. When your actions align with your deepest values, life becomes more meaningful and relationships flourish.
4. Is this the best you can offer?
This isn't about perfection, it's about giving one hundred percent of what you can in this moment, with the resources you have, within the circumstances you find yourself in. Sometimes your best is extraordinary; sometimes it's simply showing up. It all matters. Know how to discern the difference.
5. Move from a place of action, not reaction.
One of the greatest tools we have is our awareness and ability to pause. It's the space where all wisdom lives. It's where we choose our next move rather than letting our reactions decide for us. Take a deep breath and allow an exhale.
6. Give generously.
Your time, your attention, your encouragement. Generosity isn't just about gestures of giving money. It's about the simple acts of intention, whether offered outwardly, spoken of kindly, or thought of prayerfully.
7. Innovate, not imitate.
Innovation isn't always about creating something new. Sometimes it's about challenging yourself to see things anew, to enhance your way of being in the world. Find fresh ways to express yourself. Be a perpetual student of awe.
8. Trust your gut.
That quiet voice beneath the noise knows things your logical mind hasn't yet figured out. Learn to distinguish between fear and intuition, then lean into what feels true. Pay attention to the small things.
9. Make something amazing happen.
What has your imagination been collecting or dreaming up? It could be something so simple, small seeds that you have planted overtime, or a significant insight that changes your life in some way. Amazing is often quiet and personal.
10. Don't hesitate. Do it NOW.
Whether it's implementing a new idea, initiating a thoughtful conversation, or finally finishing that whatever you've been putting off, why do you keep postponing it? Now is the only time we have left.
10. Enjoy the process.
Outcomes can be elusive. The present moment is where you actually live. Find the joy in the being, not just the doing. Let life be extraordinary in the quotidian rituals and routines. Allow the time and space for sacred synchronicities to arise. This is where the magic lives.
X Alisa
Photo : eesome