We are visual creatures.
Our eyes probably give us more information about the world than any other sense organ.
But are you looking or seeing?
Although many people use the words looking and seeing interchangeably, there is a big difference between them.
Looking is a physical act. It is about focusing your eyes in a particular direction.
While seeing is a different skill altogether. Seeing is a cognitive process of perception. It is about connecting what you look at with knowledge, experiences, emotions or memories in your brain.
It is about paying attention, being in the moment, and noticing the little things that many people miss.
To see, we first need to look at something.
But looking at something doesn’t necessarily mean we see it.
You are probably very acutely aware that we live in a fast-paced world. We are super busy and keep moving from one thing to another. While we are busy doing one thing, we already think about the next thing we need to do.
This way of living negatively impacts our life quality. One impact of being busy and rushing all the time is that we don’t really see.
We constantly look at different objects and people around us, but often, we don’t see them. We usually don’t look past the obvious, the surface, and take the time to see something on a deeper level, fully explore it, understand it, and enjoy it.
Seeing means participating in life fully. To find the beauty in the little things in your life and better enjoy every moment. It means not letting life pass you by.
To be creative, we must see. The secret to being creative lies not in what you look at but in what you can see.
When you develop and practice your creative thinking, suddenly, you will see things that others can't. With your unique creative thinking, you will be able to imagine new ways, form new connections, and develop new solutions to problems.
And who doesn’t want to become better at solving problems?
So how can you develop the art of seeing?
✅ Pay attention to the things around you. Look at them as if you see them for the first time. Pretend you are an alien who just landed on this planet, and everything is new and strange to you.
✅ See with all your senses, not just your eyesight. See with your nose, your ears, your hands… See and listen to the sounds, smell the air around you, and notice your body's sensations. Notice what your skin feels. Feel the different textures.
✅ See beyond the surface. What is the meaning? What hides behind the obvious?
✅ When you see things around you, think about a question that occupies your mind. How can this question relate to all that you see? What new connections can you form?
✅ What extraordinary can you find in the ordinary? Search for it.
✅ See the beauty that is all around you.
✅ Challenge yourself to notice new things within the objects that you look at every day. Zoom into the details. What new thing can you see in your kettle?
What you notice shapes your mind and influences your thinking.
Look at the picture below. What can you see?
Do you want to become super creative?
Join here for the FREE webinar that will develop your innovative thinking.
Comments