Today I Noticed…this is a beautiful book that models presence and mindfulness in an accessible way to promote creativity, gratitude, nourishment, and empowerment. (Though the authors do so in a much more direct way than my writing of that fist sentence!) The book opens with a letter from the authors explaining the history of the book, their approach to Today I Noticed (TIN for short), and the benefits of engaging in a TIN practice. Then, the book provides examples from their own notebook of both big things the authors noticed (when you love someone, their excitement is your excitement) and small things the authors noticed (it is very hard to mindfully meditate when I can smell the potatoes in the oven starting to burn). The book concludes with tips, tricks, and prompts to get you started on your own TIN practice and blank pages to try it out. 

The illustrations are beautifully rendered. I felt like I was reading the authors’ actual journals in real time because of the simple drawings that make art feel accessible in my own practice. The simplicity of the drawings, too, creates the sense that these were sketched in five minutes at the end of the day in reflection, and that style creates an intimacy between the reader and authors as if we are getting a behind-the-scenes look into their lives. 

In our culture obsessed with speed, this book reminds us to slow down and savor the moments that make a life. This book has the potential to change how people think of meditation and mindfulness. Yes, mindfulness is sitting on your cushion with your eyes closed paying attention to your thoughts, but we can find mindfulness when we decide where to give our attention and train our attention on often overlooked elements of our lives. This book, while small, is mighty.