Keys on the table
Hey there,
It was a familiar morning scene – bag in one hand, thermos carefully balanced in the other - as I was attempting to make my exit from the house. Only, I was forgetting one small, yet extremely crucial item.
You know what the item is. I don’t even have to say it.
You’re thinking what I’m thinking -
how many times have I left my keys on the table, right THERE, and then spent way too much time looking for them? Sure this happens to all of us.
Seriously, where were they?
Ah, you guessed it! Right there on the table, just waiting for me to notice them.
Ever felt like life could be that way too? Obvious answers, truths, feelings, right on the table for all to see, but us humans, in our infinite wisdom, just keep missing them.
It’s like we’re playing an eternal game of hide-and-seek with the obvious!
So, this brings me to my point - maybe it’s time for us to stop overlooking the ‘keys on the table’, the obvious truths that we tend to ignore. And why do we do that?
Do we love making things more complicated than they actually are? Maybe. Are we too scared to face the reality staring back at us? Probably.
But, here’s the thing, acknowledging and recognizing those ‘keys’, those truths that are right in front of our eyes, might just be the answer we’ve been seeking all along. Scary? Heck yeah! Liberating? You bet!
Think about it!
How often have you found yourself looking for a solution, running around, puzzled and perplexed only to realize that the answer was right there all along? Staring you in the face, waiting for you to just see it.
Why didn’t you tell me it was in the closet this whole time? Right under my nose! Oh… You did? hmm…
It’s time we stop disregarding the obvious.
The neon signs shouting out loud that we need to take that job or that it’s time to end a toxic relationship. The answers we seek are usually right there in front of us, but we tend to keep looking for the hidden treasures.
Did you notice how we transformed it into a treasure hunt? Why do we automatically assume the ‘obvious’ can’t hold the key to our queries?
This way of thinking, is what we need to change. It’s time we realize that the keys to most of our problems and queries are right there - on the table. All we need to do is, pick them up and use them.
So, dear reader, next time you’re racing through life or even just your own home, on the hunt for solutions or keys, take a moment to stop. To breathe. To look. You might just find that they’ve been waiting on the table all along.
And in that moment, remember this - there’s beauty in simplicity and there’s power in the obvious. All you need to do is pay attention.
BONUS: 5 tips for how to notice the obvious
- Slow Down, You Move Too Fast
Race down the freeway of life, and it’s a blur of color and noise. Not very helpful when you’re trying to spot the little things. Look, friends, life isn’t a competition to get to the end first (spoiler: it’s not an award most of us are keen on receiving). Slow down. Breathe. Make the morning last. You’d be surprised at what you can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel when you take a moment to exist, rather than obsess over what’s next.
- Assess Your “Mind House”
Yes, I just made up a term. What of it? Your Mind House is like an ongoing game of Tetris, with things being stacked, sorted of importance, and then often lost in the clutter. You know that adage about not being able to see the forest for the trees? Apply that to your mind. Be mindful of what you fill your headspace with. Ask yourself: are you really recognizing the details that are worth noticing, or are you glossing over them to make room for more important-sounding but ultimately insignificant things?
- Mix Up Your Routine
The familiar becomes invisible. It’s a survival tactic, filtering out the non-essential stuff so we can notice the saber-toothed tiger stalking us across the savannah. The thing is: you’re not on a savannah, and routine can breed inattention. Do one thing differently each day. Take another route to the grocery store. Swap your standard coffee for a bizarre-sounding latte. You’ll naturally pay attention when your day doesn’t follow the same old script.
- Look Harder
You’re probably thinking, “Really? That’s the advice?” Yes, folks, it is. You’d be surprised how many things go unnoticed because we rarely take the time to actually look. Whether it’s the overlooked keys on the table or the forgotten spoon in our hands, these are items yearning for your fleeting attention. Look harder at your surroundings, sounds simple and yet, the process can be as cathartic as any time-consuming, expensive therapy.
- Promote Things to VIP Status
Consider prioritizing little things. Not to the level of your mom’s lasagna recipe or your spouse’s birthday, but give them a little limelight. The hearty laugh of your child. The sound of chirping birds in the morning. Even the feel of freshly-laundered sheets. Elevate them to VIP status in your mind. By acknowledging them as “important”, you’re likely to notice them more.
So, that’s it. Not rocket science, is it? The beauty of our everyday exists in the ordinary, and celebrating that can change your reality. Now get out there, slow down, assess your mind house, change up your routine, look a bit harder… and promote something ordinary to VIP today. Before you know it, you’ll be noticing (and appreciating) the overlooked like a pro.
And remember, the keys are right there, always on the table. Just waiting for you to notice.
And if you want to learn to be more mindful of things - check out this post on mindfulness.