Do you have times when your days, and then weeks, become hazy? They slip by without stirring up much memorable stuff. It’s like when I drive the same route from home to the grocery store, and I arrive without recalling much of the trip.
So I got to wondering, how can I bring more vivid color to my life when it’s coming up mostly in black and white?
I found the answer in “The Good Life,” a book by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz. Their research indicates I have only two valuable commodities to offer to others. And when I apply them both, my life takes on more meaning and color. One, of course, is my time with others. However, just my time is not enough. It needs to be combined with my full attention to the other person.
My first response was to think I already do that in spades. So, I did a little research of my own. I spent one full day keeping track of my level of engagement with my wife, friends and coworkers. Surprise, surprise! I discovered I often shifted into automatic, just acting as if all my focus was on them while my mind drifted to what I was having for lunch.
Now, I’m a new man (most of the time). My full attention is on the moment and on those individuals who cross my path.
An added bonus is, I’m getting more of the good feelings back in return. The haze is gone. Full color has returned.
Those old folks