Pull Focus

What you focus on matters.

Do me a quick favor. Close your eyes for 30 seconds and notice only what you hear. If you can, keep your mind a void, a vacuum of nothing. Do this for 30 seconds.

I'm serious, do it right now.

What did you notice? What surprised you? Was there music, conversation, birds chirping, traffic, or white noise?

What came into your mind while you were trying to think of nothing?

A bunch of people in white lab coats who do a ton of research all seem to agree that you can really only focus on one thing at a time. I know people love to say they are multitaskers, but all they're really doing is rapidly changing focus.

What does this mean for normal life? There's this great gag in the Pixar movie UP where the golden retriever, Dug, constantly gets distracted by squirrels. Squirrel!

It was a funny thing to laugh at at the time but now, I feel like this is happening to us humans more and more, if not all the time. Our focus is truly one of the most sought after, fought after, and freely given "things" we have as humans. Our phones are literal focus grabbing machines, and they get better and better every day.

I want to bring us back to that quick 30 second moment we just had. What did you feel?

Busy? Lazy? Unsettled? Peace? Relief? Rest?

When filming, during a single continuous shot, there's this amazing technique of "pulling focus". This position on set is called the Focus Puller and they rotate the lens to keep the subject in focus. This art of pulling focus is just that, an art. It must be learned, it must be failed at, it must trudge through the mud to then learn just how to pull the right subject, at the right time into focus.

This Sunday, or whatever day works best for you, put the phone down. Pull real life into focus, not perfectly, but intentionally. Instead of being like our friend Dug, make eye contact, keep the screens turned off, and keep the right things in focus. You won't regret it.

Album Of The Week: 

Khruangbin - The Universe Smiles Upon You ii

Khruangbin somehow figured out how to improve upon their already flawless debut album The Universe Smiles Upon You with this stripped down reissue. Perfect for any part of the day, any part of the world. In front of a fire, at a BBQ, or watching the sunset at the beach. Khruangbin is on rotation, always. 

Activity Of The Week: 

Ride something on wheels. 

2 wheels, 4 wheels, or 1… the weather is most likely incredible wherever you are right now, get outside and take full advantage. 

Conversation Question Of The Week:

Would you rather wake up every morning with a different stranger's voice, or a different stranger's laugh??

Get to know your people beyond what’s their favorite color or movie (though you should know those things!).

rhythm is a resource for the rebellion towards real life. 

You don’t need a digital detox, just a day a week.

We’ll be here each week to make it count.

Get a life,

Analog Sunday