I write sometimes about taking time to pause, to take in the things that are without external input.

Meditation, sitting with boredom — that sort of thing. It’s nice to pause and actually see the mind as it is sometimes.

But it also applies to the external world.

Today I was walking to the grocery store and noticed the interesting design of a building on my street.

I’ve passed this building for nearly three years, often multiple times a day. Yet I hadn’t noticed the unique structure of the balconies.

Time of day could have played a part, it almost certainly did. The way the sun reflected off the glass contrasted the red brick in a way I’d never realized is what caught my eye. But my noticing is what interests me.

Over the next few minutes, I noticed the amount of ice left on a nearby bike trail, the stunning cleanliness of a woman’s white shoes, and the new set of traffic lights that until just days ago was a pedestrian crosswalk.

It wasn’t just that I noticed these things, but that I consciously acknowledged them.

The biggest difference between this walk and most others was that I chose to leave my earbuds at home.

Typically I utilize any chance I have to consume audiobooks or podcasts. Whether I’m driving, walking, or riding my bike, I’m almost always listening. Yet, looking back at those moments, I can’t recall that I’ve ever noticed so many peripheral details.

Our brains are constantly processing incoming information. They do it automatically. When we listen to music or podcasts we use that as fuel, turning it into enjoyment or knowledge.

When we remove that input the processing doesn’t stop. We take in more details, we see things with a clearer lens.

Take a walk, by yourself. Around the block or up the street and back.

No headphones.

Look around.