The Power of Noticing
In the rush of everyday life, many of us move through our days without truly paying attention. We may find ourselves reacting to stress, repeating old emotional patterns, or drifting through habitual thoughts and behaviors—often without knowing how we got there. Yet nestled within each moment is a powerful opportunity: the act of noticing.
Noticing is not simply passive observation. It is a conscious, intentional process of becoming aware of what is occurring—internally and externally—in real time. It is the foundation of mindfulness, and in many ways, the very beginning of change.
Why Noticing Matters in the Therapeutic Process
The ability to notice what is happening within and around us—without immediately reacting—is fundamental in both psychological growth and therapeutic work. In cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), for example, clients are taught to monitor their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in order to interrupt automatic patterns and choose new responses (Beck, 2011). This skill begins with noticing: “What am I feeling right now?” or “What story am I telling myself?”
Similarly, mindfulness-based interventions such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) explicitly teach clients to become aware of moment-to-moment experience with openness and curiosity. As Jon Kabat-Zinn (1990) explains, mindfulness is “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” This nonjudgmental noticing lays the groundwork for emotional regulation and increased psychological flexibility (Kabat-Zinn, 1990; Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2018).
Neuroscientific research supports this process. Studies show that awareness alters neural activity and promotes neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire itself. Siegel (2010) notes, “Where attention goes, neural firing flows, and neural connection grows,” emphasizing that the simple act of noticing where our attention is placed can literally change our brain over time.
Noticing Without Attachment: Observing with Compassion
Importantly, how we notice matters just as much as what we notice. When awareness is tinged with judgment, criticism, or fear, it can become another form of self-attack. But when we cultivate awareness with compassion and curiosity, we create space for healing. This is the distinction between mindfulness and rumination.
From a Buddhist psychological perspective, noticing without attachment means observing thoughts and sensations without becoming identified with them. Rather than saying “I am anxious,” we learn to say “I notice anxiety is present.” This subtle shift creates psychological distance, making it easier to regulate emotions and choose our response (Brach, 2013).
In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this concept is described as cognitive defusion—the process of seeing thoughts as thoughts, rather than as truths or commands (Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 2012). The moment we notice a thought without attaching to it, we reduce its power and open up space for intentional action.
The Window of Choice: From Reaction to Response
Without awareness, we cannot choose. We are merely acting out learned responses from past experiences or unconscious beliefs. But when we pause and notice, we create a gap—a moment between stimulus and response. Viktor Frankl (1946/2006) famously wrote, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
This is the transformational potential of noticing: it offers us a choice. A client who notices the urge to withdraw in a moment of conflict might choose to take a breath, name their feeling, or reach for a coping skill instead of shutting down. Each time we make a conscious choice, we reinforce a new neural pathway and expand our capacity for flexibility and resilience.
Practicing Noticing in Therapy—and in Life
In psychotherapy, we often begin by slowing down enough to notice what is happening beneath the surface. I might invite a client to track sensations in their body, or to pause and reflect on an emotional response that arises during art-making. In expressive arts therapy, the art itself can become a mirror, revealing patterns or emotions that have not yet been verbalized (McNiff, 2004). These moments of insight are often the most transformative—not because they provide answers, but because they invite awareness.
Over time, the practice of noticing builds self-trust. Clients begin to develop a more compassionate relationship with their inner world. They learn that they are not their thoughts, not their emotions—but the observer of those experiences. This shift in perspective is both subtle and profound.
In daily life, this practice might look like:
Pausing to check in with your breath.
Noticing a repetitive thought without judging it.
Naming an emotion as it arises.
Observing how your body responds to stress or joy.
Each of these moments reinforces the path toward conscious living. Each time we notice, we reclaim agency.
Final Thoughts
Noticing is not a passive act—it is a radical choice. It requires us to slow down, to become curious, and to meet our experience with compassion. It is the first and most essential step toward inner change. When we learn to notice without attachment, we begin to interrupt old patterns, rewire our responses, and cultivate a more intentional relationship with ourselves and the world around us.
In therapy and in life, this is where healing begins.
References
Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Brach, T. (2013). True refuge: Finding peace and freedom in your own awakened heart. Bantam Books.
Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man’s search for meaning (I. Lasch, Trans.). Beacon Press. (Original work published 1946)
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. Delta.
McNiff, S. (2004). Art heals: How creativity cures the soul. Shambhala Publications.
Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., & Teasdale, J. D. (2018). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Siegel, D. J. (2010). The mindful therapist: A clinician’s guide to mindsight and neural integration. W. W. Norton & Company.
