paying attention Archives - Alice Strathern

Creativity and architecture go hand in hand. I don’t think one can be without the other. In theory, and in practice, creativity can find order, form, and structure through the same concepts that architecture uses.

For example, architecture is based on people and shapes its design and function according to the needs of communities. Creativity is used to find solutions to challenges and, at the same time, it can improve people’s personal lives or work environments.

Creativity is an expression that can take many forms. On the other hand, since prehistory, architecture has been used as a way for civilizations to express culture.

If we think about it, building a life or a career requires a solid foundation; a structure that can shape our circumstances in the right direction. Emulating a discipline that involves designing and construction can provide some great benefits.

Continue reading “Creativity and architecture: common principles” →

Paying attention is a crucial component to our lives. It’s the most basic form of love.

Nothing in your education has taught you that what you notice is important.
verlyn klinkenborg

It’s a fun exercise to ask ourselves why we like the things that we like. We all have favourite songs, favourite foods, favourite brands and so on, but we seldom think about the story behind each preference.

When we take the time to understand ourselves better, we gain a new level of awareness. We’ll find clearer ways to focus on the activities or life projects that we truly care about.

At the same time, awareness goes beyond observing what we like. It’s also about paying attention to what we pay attention to. We are exposed to so much information from different platforms that it’s difficult to distinguish between the content that makes us escape to a comfortable reality and the content that nurtures our minds.

So the question is, where is our attention?

Continue reading “Paying attention: where your focus really is” →