The Power of Observation

Hooray! The weather is finally beautiful and we are finding lots of ways to enjoy the outdoors after being isolated inside for so long. As we enjoy walks along the trail or neighborhood streets, or even wait in the sunshine at a bus stop, this is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our powers of observation. We would like to show you how easy, and how important it is to enjoy your surroundings no matter where you are, and to encourage you to connect with the world around you!

Did you know very few people are truly observant of their surroundings? Here’s a test: Do you know how many steps there are in your house or up to your apartment? When you travel the same route every day do you know how many parks or bridges you pass? When you go to the same places every day in the same way, meet the same people, and do the same things, it’s easy to not pay attention to the world!

Are you guilty of lowering your eyes when you meet someone on the sidewalk, or avoiding eye contact at the supermarket? In an age of increasing digital distraction, people have become so busy or preoccupied that we have difficulty being in the present. We have lost our skills of being immersed in an experience—to see, listen, smell, and think. How much are we missing that would make a difference to our mood, our creativity, our curious nature?

How can we be more observant?

One of the best things to do in order to be more observant is to slow down. By doing this, you open yourself up to the details of your surroundings. Being observant means watching people, situations, events and then thinking about what you see--it’s not just about observing, but the critical thinking that follows which helps you learn more about the world around you.

Unfortunately we can’t just say to ourselves, “I’m going to observe the world with new eyes today”, but with a bit of practice, you can train your brain to pay attention to new things. Let us give you a few easy tips…

• Assign yourself a mental scavenger hunt, pick one thing and look for it throughout your day. This could be anything, from security cameras to bird nests, to graffiti on buildings. Notice it, and then be curious about it. What does the graffiti say? Do you see patterns in it, have you seen it before? Why do people do graffiti? Let your mind wander!
• Watch the local news or read the local paper.  Since they tend to talk about local issues, it's also a good way to learn about what's happening in your neighborhood. This in turn helps you pay attention to all kinds of new things. Be a tourist in your own city!
• Don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone. Just because you have no aspirations to join a bird watcher club doesn’t mean you can’t notice the various colours of birds during your walk, or hear the variety of bird calls. The trick is to challenge yourself to look at your everyday in a new way.

At first, it may be distracting to do this. But soon it becomes a habit.

Benefits of Observation

Improving your observation skills allows you to “listen” with more than just your ears and make better decisions. It brings a calmness to you, as you are no longer centered within yourself, but are selflessly involved in another person’s world. Being mindful of your environment also strengthens the part of your brain associated with optimism and contentment. Whenever we are discovering new and interesting things, we are filled with a sense of excitement, wonder, and awe.

Resources to challenge your observation skills

For kids

• The picture book Duck Rabbit by Amy Rosenthal (made more famous by Meaghan Markle reading it on Instagram to her son Archie) challenges children to look more closely at things. Can they see the duck? Or can they see the rabbit? Or both?
• Flashlight: is a charming, wordless picture book to show children that we might be missing out on seeing certain things, depending on the way we look at them.
• Tiny, Perfect things: a beautiful book to remind us to look around with a childlike curiosity so we don’t miss anything in our surroundings.                       

For Adults

• For ways to be more observant in your everyday life, check out the tips in this great website.
• Read Mastermind, found here through our catalogue, and learn how to be more observant like Sherlock Holmes!
• Test your observation skills in these Spot the difference puzzles through Reader’s Digest: https://www.rd.com/funny-stuff/spot-the-difference/
• Have you ever done the world famous awareness test? See if you pass!

So try it right now, wherever you are reading this! Look at your world with a new perspective, and soon you will be feeling curious about everything! The more questions you ask, the more you learn, and when you are ready to learn more, the Brantford Public Library is ready to help!