Maybe You Don’t Need to Do More. Maybe You Need to Notice.

I learned something recently because I had to.

Isn't that how some of the best lessons begin?

As part of my doctoral work and coaching certification, I was assigned a practice called BREATHe, from Charles Stone's Holy Noticing.

And yes, there was an academic paper involved.

Because apparently simply saying, "Wow, that was really helpful," doesn't quite meet doctoral level requirements.

But somewhere between completing the assignment and writing the reflection, something happened.

I realized I wasn't just learning a coaching technique.

I was learning how to notice.

BREATHe walks you through six areas:

Body
Relationships
Environment
Affect, or emotions
Thoughts
Heart

It sounds simple.

Until you actually stop long enough to do it.

I spend a lot of my life moving.

Teaching. Coaching. Writing. Serving. Leading. Planning. Solving. Thinking about what needs to happen next.

Maybe you do too.

We can become so good at managing our lives that we forget to actually experience them.

BREATHe asked me to stop.

What is happening in my body right now?

What relationships need my attention?

What is happening around me that I haven't even noticed?

What am I feeling?

What am I thinking?

And what is happening in my heart?

Not fixing.

Not judging.

Not immediately developing a five point action plan.

Just noticing.

That last part may be the hardest for those of us who are used to getting things done.

I was trained as a journalist, so I learned years ago to look for the story.

As a coach, I am learning to listen for the person within the story.

And through BREATHe, I am learning something else:

Sometimes we need to become quiet enough to notice what God may already be doing in the middle of it all.

Maybe today's Monday Motivation isn't about doing one more thing.

Maybe it is about noticing the life you are already living.

Take a breath.

Notice your body.

Think about your relationships.

Look around you.

Name what you're feeling.

Listen to your thoughts.

Then ask one simple question:

What do You want me to notice today?

You may be surprised by the answer.

Hoping you take time to notice today,

-srt

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