Have you stopped and smelled the roses today?

If not, why not?

Have you lost your rose colored glasses and are no longer seeing?

For most of us, every day is a routine. We wake up in the same bedroom and stare at the same things. We take the same drive or walk and look at the same buildings, trees, etc…

We get so used to our surroundings that we forget to see.

As I was doing research on Buon Fresco techniques for my art history course, I stumbled upon a book by Frederick Franck called “The Zen of Seeing”.

Franck writes, “In this twentieth century, to stop rushing around, to sit quietly on the grass, to switch off the world and come back to the earth, to allow the eye to see a willow, a bush, a cloud, a leaf, is an unforgettable experience”.

Interestingly enough, as I was copying his quote from the book just now, I noticed one of our campus goose plunge into a little river and create the most beautiful ripples on the murky water. I was distracted by this event for a few minutes, and when I realized that I was practicing “seeing” and not just looking, I felt alive.

I want to share this experience with you, so before you go on reading, I want you to stop and look around you. Stare at the sky, or at anything that catches your attention, and see. Take everything in, allow yourself to be free.

Have you really noticed what happens in the world around you? Photo by xlibber

Now, if you don’t feel like your day has changed, then you didn’t actually see.

When you see something, you are not only using your eyes, you are using your soul and everything that is you. (Tweet this)

The more you learn to see, the happier you will be. Trust me.

Maybe it will take you 5 minutes longer to finish your task, but let me ask you:

What is the point of your life?

Are you blindly rushing through life just because everyone else is doing the same? The beauty of accomplishing something is not just getting to the end goal, but learning to love the process. Every day should be treated as a type of miracle, a wonderful adventure, an unpredictable delight.

When you rejoice in the little things that every day has to offer, you are not doing anyone a favor, you are living your life to the fullest.

One may wonder, how can someone who sits in a cubicle and works 9 to 5 live their life to the fullest? Let me tell you, it is possible and it is wonderful. The world around us is offering so many things that we ignore, all we have to do is stop and see.

As an artist, I find myself observing nature and everything else very carefully. I don’t just stare at something; I break it apart, put it back together and find the basic shapes and colors that make this object real. Doing this makes me someone who can draw something, but does not teach me to truly see.

After you first look at something and understand its basic appearance, you should continue and dig deeper. Let go of all your premonitions and see what is truly in front of you. Do not label, for that will only cloud your mind. Simply see and let the world fill you with joy.

The world may seem like a big scary place, but it really isn’t. You have the power to change how you live, and how happy you are. The “secret” is actually right in front of you. All you have to do is stop and see it.

Now, instead of filling you with more words, think about all the wonderful things you may be missing because you are so busy getting from point A to point B.

Please, stop and smell the roses. (Tweet this)

As a small exercise, I ask that you share with us what it is that you saw and how it made you feel. Don’t be shy! – And don’t forget to stay in the loop by signing up for our free newsletter!