Give the Gift of Your Attention

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“The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

 

In the land of flashing screens, incoming beeps and tweets. In between Facebook check ins and sharing online pictures of food we’re yet to eat.  In an age where distraction is the default attraction, it’s easy for us to lose sight of the gift that we give to others when we give them our full attention.

 

Giving our attention.  This is easily said but not always easily done.

 

Giving our full attention means listening.

 

It means putting our smartphones down.

 

It means closing our laptop or tablet.

 

It means looking someone else in the eye.

 

It means focusing on what and who is in front of us.

 

It means asking questions and waiting for the answers not just jumping ahead.

 

It requires us to be present in this moment. It means focusing on the here and now, without our minds wandering into the future.

 

It means making a real connection.

 

It means respecting and honouring those people we choose to have in our lives.

 

Give the gift of your full attention to others around you and allow them the stage they deserve.

 

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I also write regularly for the Huffington Post and Medium