Communication scholar Edward Hall states that “Intelligence is paying attention to the right things.” I think he was on to something. In a world that inundates us with input and ideas, data and distractions, knowing what to pay attention to might be our last hope for staying grounded and sane.
For instance, someone was recently telling me about the perfect detox. All you do is eat grapes, and in particular grape seeds. This is supposed to give you glowing skin and a flat belly.
I’ll admit it. The promise of glowing skin tempted me enough to Google the benefits of grape seeds. There seem to be many. I could do this detox . . . and I might see results . . . that would soon fade.
And then it would be on to the next thing. And the next.
We are like kittens chasing after a string, and this relentless pursuit is exhausting. What is it, exactly, that we are pursuing? I would argue it’s that we want to feel okay. Of all my meditations that I’ve recorded for the Insight Timer app, the one called “You are okay” is exponentially my most popular post.
It’s what we want.
But we don’t know how to find it.
Paying attention to the right things is one path that might help. It’s a wake-up call to wisdom, to the importance of choice. Where will you direct your attention? Can you turn away from the siren calls of the world, and turn toward that which is going to give you a real and lasting sense that you are okay?
Every morning on my way to work, I drive past a chiropractor’s office. The sign out front currently reads, “Hold the vision. Trust the process.”
Hold the vision. In the very center of your being, remember that you are okay. You are enough. Seriously, y’all. You. Are. Okay.
Hold the vision also asks you to keep your life’s purpose in mind. What is the bigger thing you are moving toward? How do you want to show up—for yourself, for the world?
If you don’t have an answer, Edward Hall would say intelligence is paying attention to those things that make you lose time, or bring you the warm glow of delight. Pay attention to when you feel most connected, grounded, and authentic. Those moments are the Gandalfs, the Dumbeldores--the wise guides that lead you through peril to a sweet and meaningful life. (Notice I didn’t say “to a happy ending,” because that’s bullsh!t.)
The second part of the sign urges us to Trust the process. Believe that what is happening right now is ripe with potential. More than that, this right now is necessary to get you where you want to go. And it is giving you all kinds of opportunities to move into that fullness of being that can never be taken away.
Beautiful, but it’s not quite as definite as eat only grape seeds, is it? And it’s not a three-day deal. It’s a lifelong commitment. But oh, the wonders living like this could bring.
Hold the vision. You are okay. You are enough. Decide how you want to show up. And then trust the process. Move into life with a wide open heart and mind. Expect positive outcomes. For the sake of all that is holy, please, eat more than grapes. And watch how you will really live light and shine.