Who Wouldn't Want That?

And a meditation to expand your awareness.

Dec 10, 2023

With the easy availability of news, information, and entertainment, and the advent of social media, our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. Attention is now generally measured in seconds. So stay with me!

Paying attention is a valuable skill—one that you can train yourself to be better at through meditation. The ability to avoid distraction is important. Focusing on a task properly can be critical to an outcome. Tests, work situations, and problem-solving all go better when you are focused. Relationships improve when you fully listen to and engage with other people. Your ability to pay attention affects others. I was at a funeral recently and the stranger next to me kept checking their phone. It distracted me. I found myself imagining scenarios that would make this behavior okay.

I have seen a lot of advice to do what you can to keep up your good habits in these busy days at the year’s end. “Take a few deep breaths if you can’t meditate today.” It’s sort of helpful, and yes, better than nothing, but strengthening your capacity to stay present is more important than ever. Things will go better when we feel better, and time spent meditating has a cumulative effect on your well-being.

I am giving you a twenty-minute mediation this week because I believe it’s worth your time to invest in yourself. If you can allow yourself to settle in, you will bring attention to different senses and physical points in your body. Try to stay curious and open. It’s great practice for building your capacity to sustain awareness, and it has the added benefit of helping you to relax.

You will emerge from your meditation more present for life’s best moments, big and small — at least for a while. But, here’s the thing, when you invest more time and practice meditation consistently, your ability to pay attention will last longer and might even become a way of life.