It’s easy to overlook the little things in life. Pulled in competing directions, our focus tends to be drawn towards our desires, strong emotions and eventful moments. As a result, we don’t pay as much attention to the little things in our day-to-day – routine actions, small moments and details – allowing them to skim beneath our awareness.
Yet the little things matter. And paying attention to them is a powerful way to tune into the wonder of the everyday. Because the little things aren’t really little at all. Our lives are composed of all the tiny elements – single breaths, heartbeats, momentary exchanges and passing encounters – that weave together to create the fabric of our existence.
Bringing awareness to these things helps us to view life differently. By attuning to the subtleties, we can better appreciate the richness of our world. Appreciating the little things is an invitation to be present, and to engage more fully with our experience. It’s a simple yet profound practice – a way of seeing life anew and finding the magic in the mundane.
Fine-tuning awareness
We can practice this in many different ways. It might be watching your breath and feeling the spaces between your inhales and exhales. Noticing colours that bring you joy. Tuning into touch and sensations that are pleasurable. Or treasuring kind gestures you’ve given or received that day. Essentially, it’s all about honing awareness, noticing the details of your sensory experience – images, textures, sounds, scent, feelings – and allowing yourself to fully observe their impact.
Appreciating the little things also reminds us of their power. Over time, small and steady actions can create huge effects. If we choose, we can harness this potential. This could be focusing on a small thing you could do to uplift yourself, or someone else, each day. It could be creating positive change by focusing on a small daily action. Or it might be simply taking a moment to press pause and connect with your awareness in the middle of a busy day. Where we choose to place our focus and intention holds great power. And with practice and consistency, taking these small, steady steps in the direction we want to go brings profound transformation.