Are You a High Noticer?
Cathy and I recently attended a storytelling gathering. The purpose was to share personal stories that impacted the spiritual direction of our lives. Most of the stories shared that evening were not Red Sea parting, change-the-total-direction-of-your-life stories. Most were about daily moments where the storyteller was changed because of a small event or a notice that made them pay attention to their thought patterns.
We call this high noticing—the ability to be fully aware and conscious as you pay attention to the happenings of your daily life. High noticing helps you stay curious and open to new strategies, behaviors, and positive thinking.
Avoidance interpretation
One storyteller is an experienced wilderness guide. She talked about walking up to another couple’s campfire after a long day of hiking and observed that the couple was not talking to each other. Her first reaction was to walk away and avoid the negative energy she interpreted from her observation. Then, she realized that they were using sign language. It was a brother and sister camping together. The sister was deaf. She and her brother were enjoying a spirited conversation about their day together.
Observing her initial interpretation reminded her how often she quickly makes judgments about other people and uses that initial judgment to avoid contact or deeper connections.
The monkey mind will stop the dream.
Another storyteller was a couple of months away from her wedding day—a day she had dreamed about for years. She said she was opening replies from her guests, and the first words out of her mouth were, “Oh, great, another mouth I have to feed.” Fortunately, the man of her dreams, who would soon be her husband, suggested that she rephrase her reaction to one of gratitude for the family and friends who say they want to share this special day.
She realized the voice of her monkey mind was trying to take over her thoughts as she was on the verge of getting everything she wanted and thus making a significant change in her life. This big change, even though an answer to a long-dreamed desire, was causing that monkey mind’s inner voice to react fearfully to the big life change.
In the Get Clarity Operating System, high noticing is the light side of habituation. Habituation is patterned behavior in which you say, “It’s always been done this way, so why change?” Habituation results in stagnation and a lack of creativity. Being a high noticer is not just about being conscious of critical significant events. It is about being aware and engaged in your daily life routine. High noticing helps you recognize when thinking leads to drained energy and stagnation.
What’s new and different in your life at this moment? What are you aware of and curious about at this moment? Are you doing something out of habit versus being open to another way?
Staying aware and curious, Gary
