The Discipline of Attention
- Lynn Golabowski
- Jan 2
- 4 min read
Awareness changes how you see things
As you become more aware of yourself, you start to notice more nuance in everyday situations. You pick up on dynamics, patterns, and moments you once overlooked. With that awareness can come frustration and an urge to respond or step in. Maybe in the past you always responded and never understood what that did to your energy. That urge is mostly automatic, but it is also where attention often slips away.
Seeing clearly does not require reacting
Not everything you notice requires a response. When you react automatically, your attention moves outward and your entire body tenses up. Your focus gets narrower and you go off on a tangent. But attention is a limited resource and where your attention goes determines how grounded you remain. Once you give someone your attention that means they get to encroach on your inner peace. By not reacting they have nothing to attach meaning to. It's not about proving you are right. It is about not handing your power over to others. And your super power is your ATTENTION.
Feeling the need to respond immediately with your attention is often a message that you need to examine something else in your life related to that topic.
A common work situation and attention
Imagine you are in a meeting and someone takes credit for your idea. Your body reacts immediately. Your jaw tightens, your chest feels tight, and your thoughts are all over the place. The impulse is to interrupt or defend yourself on the spot. If you do, the energy in the room definately will shift and everyone will feel the tension.
If instead you pause, the outcome will change. You stay present and grounded. You take a breath and note what happened. After the meeting, you follow up calmly, and discuss the situation with the right person. The awareness is the same. The way you use your attention is different. This is way more effective than creating a scene and potentially looking very defensive.
A personal example
You are scrolling on your phone at the end of the day. You see a post or message that rubs you the wrong way. Your body starts reacting before you even finish reading. You feel your shoulders tense and you start rehearsing a response in your mind. You really want to explain yourself, and correct what you thought was the answer.
Instead of responding, you pause. You put the phone down. You take a breath and notice your energy shifting. You realize engaging in this situation would pull you into a conversation that goes nowhere and leaves you drained.
So, you go for a walk, make dinner, or return to something that actually supports you. Nothing is resolved online, but something is resolved inside you. Your nervous system settles down, your attention comes back, and you no longer feel the need to respond . Later, if you need to respond you can. But more than likely it will fade away and is not important. Time will tell!
Restraint is an active skill
Restraint is not acceptance or avoidance. It is a choice and when the timing is right it works everytime. You decide when responding serves you and when it does not. This keeps your energy steady and your presence intact.
Reaction feeds the system
Many workplaces reward urgency and immediate responses. This keeps people busy but also scattered. It stresses the nervous system and diminishes your ability to think clearly. When you stop feeding that loop, you regain control of your attention and how you show up.
Attention as a sovereignty skill
Sovereignty is not about being right or proving a point. It is about directing your attention with intention. Ask yourself if reacting helps, if the timing is right, and if the response protects your energy and your position. Often, restraint is the strongest move you can make.
Practicing attention daily
This practice starts in small moments. Notice the urge to react. Pause before you respond. Take one slow breath. Plant you feet firmly on the floor. Then choose your next action deliberately and with intent.
What you protect grows
When you protect your attention, your system is calm. Your energy is balanced and you think more clearly. You stop leaking energy into unnecessary situations and stay focused on what matters. These days I think less is more. Less social media, less engagement in things that no longer matter. Take out your journal and write at the top of the page: LESS of & MORE of.
Start keeping a list of what you want less of and more of in 2026. You will see that it is liberating! Then you need to follow through.
If you want to learn how to show up differently, join my next meditation class. You will learn practical ways to ground yourself, understand your attention, and how to respond with clarity instead of reaction.
What are your thoughts? Have you been wanting to start making changes in your life and don't know where to start?
👉 Take the class! :)
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