Attention

Consider experimenting with a simple practice during your next outing: rather than engaging with your phone, intentionally observe your surroundings. For those seeking a more immersive experience, you might even try leaving your device at home entirely. You may notice how many people around you remain deeply engaged with digital content rather than experiencing the immediate environment.

To be present is to fully engage with the moment unfolding around us—to experience life with awareness and attention undistracted by ruminations about the past or anxieties about the future. This state of conscious awareness forms a cornerstone of many wisdom traditions, including Buddhism, mindfulness practices, and Stoicism. It’s also a foundational concept in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps us redirect attention to the present moment rather than becoming entangled in unproductive thought patterns.

The Mindfulness of Visitors # There’s a trope in New York City that you can identify tourists from their propensity to walk around staring up at the tall buildings. This isn’t necessarily meant to be interpreted literally, but rather it’s more about the fact that the tourists are fully present—taken aback by everything to look at, much of which is in the upward direction depending on where you are in the city.