Excellent, Yana! This work/information should be front and center on the most-read news source in the world! Life is perception. Your method of writing in short "sound bites" gives the brain a better ability to grasp the material within the given time/space. You are so talented! I am grateful to have found your work. Thanks! ๐๐ฝ
This was so beautiful and it gives me hope! Iโd say Iโve directly experienced what youโre writing aboutโ when I travel for long periods of time, always seeing new things every day, 8 months can feel like years, but when Iโm back at home and every day is the same the months just fly by and itโs always like โhow has it been 2 years since I last travelled?โ Hoping to make it more consistent eventually so I can really slow down and make the most of my time. A very enjoyable read as always! ๐
This article was eye opening and so much appreciated. Time and memory are different for everyone and it seems we all perceive it differently. I remember so many minute, seemingly insignificant details about every day and also events that are worth remembering. I notice the older I get, friends and family โforgetโ things that were important and it leaves me feeling lonely (and sad) that I remember and they donโt.
Amy, my 27 yr old daughter is like you, remembering details of her childhood that I have forgotten. She feels sad and somewhat hurt by this. You are not alone in feeling this way.
Thank you Yana, for another insightful post, presenting many concepts in a clear and concise manner. A question that pops up reading your text: would you say it is possible for the brain to actively seek out the differences in different instances of the same process of noticing and recognizing in order to keep the engagement going, or will the brain's inclination to be as effective as possible (i.e. not spending unnecessary energy) prevent that?
thank you for reading, and for taking the time to comment <3
the brain does have an inherent drive to seek out differences, especially when engaged in intentional attention. while it tends toward efficiency (like automating the familiar to conserve energy) itโs also wired for prediction error. it perks up when something doesnโt match expectations, which is why we can still notice novelty within repetition (like hearing a wrong note in a familiar song).
practices like mindfulness and open-monitoring meditation seem to strengthen this ability. they train the brain to tune into subtler distinctions (like this breath, this sound, this moment) activating attention and salience networks that become more responsive over time. so yes, i do believe that with intention and practice, the brain can stay engaged in the familiar, not by overriding efficiency, but by reshaping what it considers worth noticing <3
Since my father was diagnosed with dementia, our long walks together have become a cherished ritual. I leave my phone behind, and together we truly take in the scenery. Heโll ask about the trees we pass or why pickup trucks have four doors now. Each walk, our conversations grow more profound, as if time itself slows down for us.
At the park, we play chess surrounded by the beauty of nature. In these moments, I notice how the world seems to pause. Each game, each conversation, is a new experience. I can feel the richness of the present moment, and itโs always different, always meaningful.
Thank you for this Yana, this is such a great piece. I just wrote my first post on Substack about the oddball effect, but didnโt realise what itโs called. It more based on how I want to slow down time with my kids. Iโll be reading your other article as well about slowing down time. So glad I found your Substack!
i loved your article. your framing of attention as central to presence really resonated and gave me something to think about. thank you for commenting and sharing :)
Love the information this piece offered. I took note that time seemed to move more slowly when I made an effort to be present. I get more done while keeping my nervous system regulated.
Turns out itโs science. I donโt control timeโor maybe I kind of do. ๐ค
itโs so interesting! when weโre in a flow state (presence), we get so much more done, and it feels like time flies - but then we look back and think, how did i get all that done? we do kind of control timeโฆor at least how we experience it. itโs all perception! like you said, our mental state shapes how time feels. itโs subtle, but once i started applying this, it made a real difference. sometimes i feel like hermione with her time-turner necklace hehe
Thanks so much for writing this. It's both enjoyable and informative. I really appreciate the effort you took to balance a personal tone with the diligent research you've put into it!
This hit something BIG for me. I am a careers advisor and I talk to a lot of people who feel like time is speedinggg up. Like whole years pass and theyโre not sure what they actually did. Iโve also 100% had that urge to fix it by making a big change โฆ move cities, quit the job, dye my hair pink. But reading this made me think maybe I do just need to walk a different route to the office or buy something off the menu I have never heard of.
exactly! noticing, pausing, breaking routine - theyโre how you shift from autopilot to presence. and presence is largely what made childhood feel so rich and slow <3
Excellent, Yana! This work/information should be front and center on the most-read news source in the world! Life is perception. Your method of writing in short "sound bites" gives the brain a better ability to grasp the material within the given time/space. You are so talented! I am grateful to have found your work. Thanks! ๐๐ฝ
thank you jeanne! your words touched my heart <3
I feel like you unlocked something in my mind - a revelation truly. Thank you!!
Sameeee!!! She's an excellent writer whatttt ๐ญ
This was so beautiful and it gives me hope! Iโd say Iโve directly experienced what youโre writing aboutโ when I travel for long periods of time, always seeing new things every day, 8 months can feel like years, but when Iโm back at home and every day is the same the months just fly by and itโs always like โhow has it been 2 years since I last travelled?โ Hoping to make it more consistent eventually so I can really slow down and make the most of my time. A very enjoyable read as always! ๐
This was amazing thank you
This was phenomenal
This article was eye opening and so much appreciated. Time and memory are different for everyone and it seems we all perceive it differently. I remember so many minute, seemingly insignificant details about every day and also events that are worth remembering. I notice the older I get, friends and family โforgetโ things that were important and it leaves me feeling lonely (and sad) that I remember and they donโt.
Amy, my 27 yr old daughter is like you, remembering details of her childhood that I have forgotten. She feels sad and somewhat hurt by this. You are not alone in feeling this way.
Thank you Yana, for another insightful post, presenting many concepts in a clear and concise manner. A question that pops up reading your text: would you say it is possible for the brain to actively seek out the differences in different instances of the same process of noticing and recognizing in order to keep the engagement going, or will the brain's inclination to be as effective as possible (i.e. not spending unnecessary energy) prevent that?
thank you for reading, and for taking the time to comment <3
the brain does have an inherent drive to seek out differences, especially when engaged in intentional attention. while it tends toward efficiency (like automating the familiar to conserve energy) itโs also wired for prediction error. it perks up when something doesnโt match expectations, which is why we can still notice novelty within repetition (like hearing a wrong note in a familiar song).
practices like mindfulness and open-monitoring meditation seem to strengthen this ability. they train the brain to tune into subtler distinctions (like this breath, this sound, this moment) activating attention and salience networks that become more responsive over time. so yes, i do believe that with intention and practice, the brain can stay engaged in the familiar, not by overriding efficiency, but by reshaping what it considers worth noticing <3
Thanks so much Yana, for this elaborate answer, that is almost equally pleasant and comprehensible to read as your post!
this is a beautiful, hopeful reply. thank you for sharing! ๐ค
Fantastic writing and diligent research, enjoyed the read~
thank you so much for sharing this!
Loved this piece. So informative and engaging..sending love!
Since my father was diagnosed with dementia, our long walks together have become a cherished ritual. I leave my phone behind, and together we truly take in the scenery. Heโll ask about the trees we pass or why pickup trucks have four doors now. Each walk, our conversations grow more profound, as if time itself slows down for us.
At the park, we play chess surrounded by the beauty of nature. In these moments, I notice how the world seems to pause. Each game, each conversation, is a new experience. I can feel the richness of the present moment, and itโs always different, always meaningful.
Thank you for this Yana, this is such a great piece. I just wrote my first post on Substack about the oddball effect, but didnโt realise what itโs called. It more based on how I want to slow down time with my kids. Iโll be reading your other article as well about slowing down time. So glad I found your Substack!
i loved your article. your framing of attention as central to presence really resonated and gave me something to think about. thank you for commenting and sharing :)
Thanks Yana that means a lot.
Interesting read
Love the information this piece offered. I took note that time seemed to move more slowly when I made an effort to be present. I get more done while keeping my nervous system regulated.
Turns out itโs science. I donโt control timeโor maybe I kind of do. ๐ค
itโs so interesting! when weโre in a flow state (presence), we get so much more done, and it feels like time flies - but then we look back and think, how did i get all that done? we do kind of control timeโฆor at least how we experience it. itโs all perception! like you said, our mental state shapes how time feels. itโs subtle, but once i started applying this, it made a real difference. sometimes i feel like hermione with her time-turner necklace hehe
Thanks so much for writing this. It's both enjoyable and informative. I really appreciate the effort you took to balance a personal tone with the diligent research you've put into it!
This hit something BIG for me. I am a careers advisor and I talk to a lot of people who feel like time is speedinggg up. Like whole years pass and theyโre not sure what they actually did. Iโve also 100% had that urge to fix it by making a big change โฆ move cities, quit the job, dye my hair pink. But reading this made me think maybe I do just need to walk a different route to the office or buy something off the menu I have never heard of.
This was a great piece -thank you!
So basically I need to notice, pause and break routines to feel childhood again & expand my perception of time?
exactly! noticing, pausing, breaking routine - theyโre how you shift from autopilot to presence. and presence is largely what made childhood feel so rich and slow <3