Nature can distract you in a good way.

I was on my way out the door for my morning routine.

During the work week, I walk two blocks to the local coffee shop for tea and write my morning pages, a mindful journaling technique. This practice is my daily meditation of stillness and presence, my mental and spiritual fuel for the day.

But something in nature caught my eye and drew me toward beauty.

There she was, a single tulip in one of the pots on the porch steps, ready to bloom toward the light of day.

I paused and knelt down to take a photo. Photography is my tool for contemplation, and I let nature take hold of my presence.

That brief encounter brought intense joy to my day.

Micro-mindfulness is both the art of paying attention and allowing yourself to be interrupted by the present moment.

Here's how:

• Step outside and look for a tiny detail that catches your attention—a tulip, a leaf, a shadow, or the way the light hits the pavement.

• Let this moment interrupt your mental autopilot.

• Pause for 30 seconds and notice everything about it: shape, color, texture, temperature, movement.

• Take one slow breath and gently name what you’re seeing.

• Allow yourself to be fully present with it—no fixing, no judging, just noticing.

Let that tulip (or whatever moment you meet) remind you: presence isn’t something you chase. It’s something you allow.

Photo by Denise Pyles, Edmonds, WA