What are you Watching…

I was out walking in the sunshine yesterday. I knew the time, in a Saturday sort of a way; It was somewhere between half past breakfast and quarter to lunch. We had been out for an hour or so and I was wondering what the time was and glanced at my watch as you do. I don’t know if you have noticed but we seem to be capable of looking at our watches, apparently reading them and yet not quite really knowing what they have told us. You know that you are doing this when a companion, seeing you do this asks the time and you have to look a second time to answer them.

So, there we were strolling in the woods, I look at my watch and am just covering up my watch again when I realise that I completely don’t understand what I have just seen. It takes a moment for me to realise that I was not able to read the time. I look again and it appears to be telling me that it is quarter past seven! After a few moments more confusion, all becomes clear to me… I have my watch on upside down! Reality is reasserted.

However, it occurs to me that we are so often in the auto-pilot mode that we have conversations, without really engaging any of our awareness. It is possible that the odd husband out here will recall being told that he is “not listening” and perhaps even, if he likes living dangerously, repeat back what has just been said. However, hearing and listening are not the same thing. Also, when we are truly engaged with someone we bring to bear so much more than just our hearing; we use our awareness. We can pick up so much more if tune in fully.

When we are on the receiving end of this kind of attention it is a very powerful experience. Flattering, a little intimidating, slightly disconcerting and seductive all rolled up into one. We all do it perfectly naturally from time-to-time. However, the impact of fully engaging with people and situations on your relationships, your business and health is astonishing. Why not give it a go…. Some people think that we get what we focus on. Who or what are you giving your attention to?

 

“The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention.”
Richard Moss

Genius is nothing but continued attention.” Claude Adrien Helvetius

 

Tags: attention, Communication, focus

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 27th, 2008 at 10:43 and is filed under Communication, Hints, Tips & Techniques, Personal Change. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.