Guest Post - Today I Noticed: These 3 Little Words Make Mindfulness Easy, Creative, and Fun
It’s been a long old time since I shared a blog post, but I’m so thrilled to publish this guest post today. If (like me!) you’ve long struggled with meditation but are still craving some mindfulness, I know you’re going to love this. Thank you to Willow and Deborah for sharing their wisdom!
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Hi! We’re Willow Older and Deborah Huber, the founders of a mindfulness practice called Today I Noticed and authors of a brand new illustrated gift book/mindfulness journal, Today I Noticed: A Little Book of Mindfulness that Will Change the Way You See the World.
We have a confession: We’re failed meditators.
It’s not that we haven’t tried. At various stages, we’ve both managed to sit quietly, count our breaths, and focus on our ohmmms. Then, inevitably, life gets hectic. Deadlines hit. Kids get sick. Netflix binges happen. And we fall off the wagon (well, pillow) once again.
That hasn’t stopped us from wanting to find a way to be present and pay attention to what’s happening all around us and within us. If you’re also looking for a foolproof path to mindfulness, we’ve got good news. The secret to mindfulness lies in these simple words: Today I noticed.
For the past five years, we’ve been using this three-word prompt as an invitation to slow down and pay attention to the little moments of daily life that often slip by unnoticed. Once we notice something, we then record it with a sentence that starts, “Today I noticed …” and illustrate it in some way—a sketch, a scratch, a scribble—anything goes.
This simple, creative approach to mindfulness reminds us to pause and appreciate the sweet, silly, messy, and mundane moments that make up our lives. Paying attention makes every day feel richer, brighter, and more meaningful. Plus, taking a creative break is nourishing, grounding, and just plain fun.
Perhaps best of all, Today I Noticed works for everyone because noticing is a totally natural act. We’re all noticing things all the time. The trick is to catch yourself noticing. When you do, that instant of awareness can quickly transform into gratitude, positivity, and joy.
Just a few of the things we’ve noticed (you may have, too):
Here are three practical ways (plus one pro tip) to start your own Today I Noticed mindfulness practice.
Notice what you’re noticing.
Today I Noticed reminds us how easy it is to find things to appreciate, savor, and enjoy if we just slow down and look for them. Of course, not everything we observe is positive. But simply paying attention to our emotions is a critical step in processing, understanding, and accepting our sometimes complicated feelings.
Record what you’re noticing.
Writing and even drawing about our observations integrates mindfulness with creativity—what a delicious, nourishing combination! (Don’t be intimidated by the idea of drawing because we’re all artists in our own weird and wonderful way.) Taking a break for a “right-brain” experience lets us be totally focused yet completely relaxed, which helps clear our minds for things like problem-solving and expansive thinking. In case it’s helpful, the last section of our book has blank pages for recording your observations, plus prompts to help you get started.
Share what you’ve noticed.
When we start intentionally noticing, ordinary moments instantly become extraordinary—more memorable, meaningful, and worth sharing. Consider finding a “Today I Noticed” partner so the two of you can talk about what you’ve been observing and recording. Or, start a Today I Noticed version of a book club and find out what your pals have been paying attention to. Lively discussions will ensure—we guarantee!
Pro-tip for on-the-spot noticing.
Once you have the words “Today I noticed” in your head, you’ll immediately start noticing things everywhere that you want to record. Jot them down in a notepad or on your phone. That way, when you sit down to write and draw, you’ll have a list of observations to choose from.
We may not be sitting on a meditation pillow counting our breaths at dawn, but “Today I Noticed” has helped us consciously engage with the tiny moments that make up every single day. We’ve become more active participants in our own lives—and you can, too. Let the noticing adventure begin!
Yours in slowing down and noticing,
Willow and Deborah
P.S. Find out more about Today I Noticed—the mindfulness practice, the book, and the workshops we run for companies and teams on our website, www.todayinoticed.com. You can follow us on Instagram at @today.i.noticed and check out our “behind the scenes” timelapse videos on TikTok (@todayinoticed).