Familiarity: The Great Camouflage

Lately, I started noticing that I was missing things. Not necessarily just physical things but other things as well. I realized that, in many ways, I wasn't paying as much attention as I had before. It started with my art.

Art is something I value. Whether it's a drawing from one of my granddaughters, something from a gifted artist I've discovered on my travels, or even my pottery, each piece is something I've kept and even treasure for a reason.

But some of my art had disappeared right into the wall where it hung. I no longer noticed it or enjoyed it. Those surroundings had become so familiar to me that I didn't fully appreciate them anymore.

I had started to become complacent about my environment. And since it is where I live and work, that needed to change.

Familiarity is a funny thing. It has the power to make us feel safe and secure in our surroundings, but it can also be why we fail to see or appreciate things right in front of us. In many ways, familiarity acts as a camouflage, hiding things from us and making it difficult to see what's really there.

Think about it. How many times have you walked into a room and not even noticed something new, simply because it blended in with your familiar surroundings?

Or, how often have you failed to see a mistake in your work because you were too familiar with what you were doing? Unfortunately, familiarity has a way of making things invisible to us, even when they are in plain sight.

Familiarity can also make us complacent. When familiar with a situation or environment, we tend to relax and let our guard down. But unfortunately, this response can lead to a false sense of security and make us more vulnerable to risks or threats lurking in those familiar surroundings.

But as with everything, the news is not all bad. Familiarity can also be a source of comfort and stability in our lives. It helps us feel at home and gives us the confidence to navigate the world.

Familiarity can also help us deepen our relationships. Connecting on a deeper level is easier when we feel comfortable and confident. There is an element of trust that comes from knowing and being known.

The truth is that familiarity can act as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can hide things from us and make us complacent, but on the other hand, it can bring comfort and stability to our lives. The key is to strike a balance, being aware of familiarity's potential dangers while embracing its benefits.

Here are three ideas that can help:

·         Be curious!

 Cultivating a sense of curiosity can help counteract the adverse effects of familiarity. When we approach familiar situations with an open and curious mindset, we are more likely to see things we might have missed otherwise. In addition, by being curious, we can break out of our comfort zones and challenge ourselves to look at things from new perspectives.

·         Add some fun!

Introducing novelty and fun into familiar environments can help shake us out of our complacency and keep us alert. This approach could involve trying new activities, changing our routine, or seeking new experiences. Doing familiar things differently can help us stay engaged and keep us from becoming too entrenched in our everyday surroundings.

·         Check in with others!

Seek outside perspectives. That can come from those we know or even those we don't. Sometimes, seeing things from a new perspective can be difficult when we are too familiar with a situation. In these cases, inviting outside views into our field of vision can be extremely helpful. Talking to others with different experiences and perspectives can help us gain new insights and fresh perspectives.

By recognizing the duality of familiarity, we can use it to our advantage and better understand and engage with the world around us. So, the next time you find yourself in a familiar environment, remember to take a step back and try to see it with fresh eyes.

In my most recent case, I ended up with some new art and moved other pieces to new places. Refreshing those walls has been inspiring and made me appreciate how important it is to pay attention to what surrounds us.

And yes, some of that new art is FUN!

Sometimes we need our own Mary Poppins moment!

And we might be surprised by what, or even who, we find.