Step into the Stream
From page 56 of Rick Rubin’s “The Creative Act: A Way of Being:”
You can’t step into the same stream twice because it’s always flowing. Everything is.
The world is constantly changing, so no matter how often we practice paying attention, there will always be something new to notice. It’s up to us to find it.
The world is constantly pushing us to discover “new” experiences, to travel to places we’ve never been, to try foods we’ve never tried, to step into streams we’ve never stepped into. But this perspective allows us to find something new in every experience.
This lines up with the conversation Arthur C. Brooks has been leading for The Atlantic on happiness. He says:
A big part of happiness is learning to live in the moment. What does that actually mean? And more importantly, how do we do it? It turns out that living in the moment, or at least being fully alive right now has two components: mindfulness and curiosity.
For me, the idea of curiosity is the driver of this. Staying curious about the places I visit regularly, curious about the foods I’ve had many times, and curious about the stream I’m stepping into.
Relationally, this means staying curious about what the people around you have to say instead of assuming you know them well enough that you don’t have to ask. Imagine how that perspective would change your friendships or your partnerships!
I’ll be putting this into practice in my life more moving forward. I want to see every moment as a moment to learn something. About a place, a food, a person…about myself.
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