I was walking today, minding my own business, probably thinking about something highly philosophical like whether tortilla chips taste better when stolen from someone else’s bowl, when I happened to look up.
And there it was: a jet — way up in the quiet, spacious part of the sky. It was gliding along like it had absolutely zero interest in telling me it existed. Honestly, I respect the confidence. That jet was the introvert of the aviation world, choosing the “don’t perceive me” setting while still being, you know, a metallic tube full of humans hurdling through the atmosphere.
Then later, I looked down and saw two dogs wearing glowing collars. Light-up collars! They looked like tiny rave attendees who accidentally wandered off the dance floor. They were prancing along, radiating the energy of dogs who have never once considered their own mortality but have considered how many treats might exist in the next thirty feet.
And that’s when it hit me.
We don’t actually notice anything anymore unless it’s loudly waving its arms, screaming in 4K HDR, or sending us push notifications like a clingy ex-app.
But one sky jet and two illuminated canines later, I’m fully convinced:
Looking around is awesome.
How Looking Around Can Seriously Upgrade Your Day
First, it’s free. Free serotonin. Free entertainment. Free “did I just see a squirrel carrying an entire slice of pizza?” moments.
Second, it jolts your brain out of autopilot. Neuroscientists call this attention restoration. I call it “Hey brain, stop chewing on the same thought like a dog on a couch pillow.”
Every time you notice something unexpected — like that a cloud looks exactly like your high school math teacher — your brain does a happy little cartwheel. Nature has been quietly running the world’s longest, most relaxing improv show, and you’ve been skipping it.
Are There Other Benefits?
Absolutely. Here’s a short list:
- You become less stressed. It’s hard to catastrophize when a cardinal flies past like a tiny red missile.
- You become more grounded. Presence is a skill. And apparently a surprisingly fun one.
- You might learn something. For example, if you notice moss on the north side of a tree, congratulations! You’ve unlocked a tiny piece of survival lore you will probably never use unless stranded in a forest at 3 a.m. because of a very weird date.
- You get tiny daily mysteries. Like: where were those dogs going? Why did they need runway lighting? Should pets have better fashion sense than me?
Who Said “I Think Therefore I Am”?
That was René Descartes, the OG of “overthinking things professionally.”
But honestly, “I look therefore I am” might be more accurate. If you’re not noticing the world around you, you’re basically a Roomba with better hair. Awareness is proof of aliveness. Observation is participation. And looking around is the easiest way to join the game.
Famous Art That Agrees with Me
Artists have been screaming — politely, in oils — for centuries that looking around matters.
Take Van Gogh. He didn’t just paint fields; he stared at them until they confessed their secrets, then turned them into swirling masterpieces like Wheatfield with Crows (Van Gogh Museum).
Or Monet, who practically built an entire career on the phrase “Hold on, give me five more minutes, the light is doing something cool.” His water lilies weren’t just flowers — they were a lifelong reminder to pay attention.
Even American artist Edward Hopper captured the quiet drama of everyday scenes. In works like Nighthawks (Art Institute of Chicago), he proved that even a diner at night can feel like a movie still if you bother to actually look.
The world has always been interesting. We’re just too busy doom-scrolling to notice its eyebrows wiggling at us.
Fun Bonus Tidbits
- Jet contrails are basically the sky’s handwriting, which feels like the Earth passing notes in class.
- Dogs with LED collars are objectively better than 93% of reality TV.
- If you tilt your head at something for long enough, you will absolutely convince yourself you’ve discovered a new species.
- The world is not hiding magic. It’s just waiting for you to stop walking around like a distracted NPC.
Art Prompt (Impressionism):
A tranquil waterside garden at dusk, bathed in soft lavender and rose light, with shimmering reflections rippling across a lily-spotted pond. Gentle brush strokes evoke drifting petals and hazy silhouettes of distant trees, all rendered in a dreamy glow that feels suspended between memory and mist. The atmosphere is serene and luminous, capturing fleeting color shifts and the quiet poetry of a moment about to fade.
Video Prompt:
A slow pan gliding across a misty garden pond at dusk, capturing glimmering reflections that ripple with each subtle movement. Camera sweeps past floating petals, drifting leaves, and shifting tones of lavender, rose, and gold. Occasional soft-focus transitions give the scene a dreamy, suspended quality, as if the viewer is strolling through a living painting that breathes with every shimmer of light across the water.
Song Recommendations
- Better Together — Jack Johnson
- Motion Sickness — Phoebe Bridgers
- Open Mind — Jófríður Ákadóttir (JFDR)
If you enjoyed this little stroll through the art of noticing things, follow along for more. And drop a comment:
What’s the best random thing you’ve noticed lately? Does looking around brighten your day too?