Why do we notice things?

Of course we see things through our eyes, that is a given. But why do we notice certain things, but don’t others? For me, it feels like everything I have done in my life is just routine. There’s rarely any change in the day to day that I find myself not noticing things even if I see it every day. It becomes a blend of the same thing over and over again that there’s no point in noticing. I’ve become so familiar, so comfortable, with how I live that I fail to notice the things around me.

It’s almost like a movie. You’re so focused on what’s going on in the foreground that you fail to catch what’s happening in the background. And when watching a movie that is your first time viewing or a movie that doesn’t catch your interest as much, you tend to miss the little details. Except, the only difference being when you watch a movie over and over again, you start catching the details; the small twitches of a finger, the way the character’s eyes linger, or the colors that bring forth hidden emotions in a scene. But when you’re not stuck in a false reality of film and you’re lost in your everyday blandness, you don’t notice.

You can’t pause real life to enjoy a scene, time is always moving and it’s hard to care about minute details when they don’t affect you. But I find noticing these details can be so important as long as you continue seeking them. When you stop for a moment to breathe and just take in, letting your eyes really process a scene just like a movie, you might find the world to be just a little bit brighter. When was the last time you really looked up at the sky and watch the silly clouds? I’m sure the bright blue is far brighter than your probably dull living room walls. Or when you noticed a weird quirk your friend does when they lie or are nervous. Maybe they shift their feet or fiddle with their fingers, these little quirks and habits can help you so much when talking to people.