These days it feels like every time I check the news, go on substack, or walk past the front window of a bookstore, there’s a new headline, or article, or bestselling book reminding us of how much more dystopian the world has gotten since I last checked. From the threat of annihilation through nuclear warfare, to the rise of an Artificial Intelligence system that could replace workers, there’s no shortage of headlines, essays and books detailing how the world as we know it could end. Make no mistake, these threats might well be real. It wouldn’t take much for any of the ongoing wars to escalate and draw in the major nuclear powers, and it would all be downhill from there. Similarly, the proliferation of AI tools and systems could be concentrated in the hands of the economically well-off, which could further widen the gap between them and the have-nots, and thus perpetuate economic inequality.
The dark tone this essay has started on isn’t lost on me, so this is where I’ll say that this isn’t yet another one of those warnings reminding us that our best days as a species are behind us. Rather, I write this as a reminder, a note to self, that in a world that teeters on the brink of dystopia, the antidote to all the doom, gloom and distraction, is guarding our attention. Life is the sum of all the moments we get to experience. Therefore, if something deprives us of the ability to be in the now, if something robs us of our attention to the present moment, I dare say that thing is inimical, perhaps even detrimental to living a good life.
If we accept that we need to guard our attention, the big question is how. The solution I keep coming back to is serendipity and smelling the roses, but don’t take my word for it. Take it from the world-renowned psychologist and proponent of the concept of flow, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. I came across his words earlier this week, and I just had to share them below. I hope to keep these words close to my heart this week, and I hope you do too.
"Try to be surprised by something every day. It could be something you see, hear, or read about. Stop to look at the unusual car parked at the curb, taste the new item on the cafeteria menu, actually listen to your colleague at the office. How is this different from other similar cars, dishes or conversations? What is its essence? Don't assume that you already know what these things are all about, or that even if you knew them, they wouldn't matter anyway. Experience this one thing for what it is, not what you think it is. Be open to what the world is telling you. Life is nothing more than a stream of experiences — the more widely and deeply you swim in it, the richer your life will be." ― Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
P.S.: My debut non-fiction book, Art Is The Way, and my middle-grade novella, A Hollade Christmas, are out everywhere now. You can get them in all good bookstores and from all major online vendors.