How do you become less ignorant to your surroundings?
After the brunt of the pandemic had passed, I seem to be struggling to adapt and I'm at a loss as to how or what I'm supposed to learn.
How can I be more aware of my surroundings?
If you are always talking, you can’t really hear what other people are saying.

Similarly, if you are always thinking, you can never really see the world around you, because you’re so involved in the world of thought.

The more you think, the more time you spend in the mental world as opposed to the real world.

The mental world is made of concepts, labels, and expectations.

After a while, we stop seeing the real world and we only see the concepts, labels and expectations.

We begin to mistake money for wealth, and labels for things and people.

If you were on a deserted island, having a billion dollars would be totally useless.

What you would really need is some food, shelter and companionship - aka true wealth.

So to truly become more aware of your surroundings, you need to drop all the concepts, labels and expectations.

Learn to see things with a newfound curiosity.

Here’s something I do at home most days. There’s a particular wooden cupboard door in our kitchen. Each evening when I am cooking dinner, I touch that wooden door.

And each time, I experience it a little bit differently.

Sure, there are many familiar aspects of it that I recognize, but every time there are subtle nuances that I had forgotten, that I hadn’t noticed before, or that I have never experienced quite the same way.

Of course, it is not the door that changes, but rather my experience that changes from moment to moment.

Our consciousness is always shifting, and as a result, we have different experiences of the same things.

Sometimes those differences are nuanced and minor.

Other times they are drastic.

And if you can become curious of how a static thing like a door feels, imagine how curious and fascinated you can become by more dynamic and complicated things?

So forget all you know and see the world like a beginner each day.

Pretend you are an alien that just arrived on this planet and the apple you are eating is the first apple you’ve ever tasted.

The key to all this is to have fun.

If you don’t have fun, you’ll just retreat right back into your mental world of static concepts, labels, and expectations.

The mental world is the dead world, while this world, the real one, is alive.

Question

How do you become less ignorant to your surroundings? 
After the brunt of the pandemic had passed, I seem to be struggling to adapt and I'm at a loss as to how or what I'm supposed to learn.
How can I be more aware of my surroundings?
If you are always talking, you can’t really hear what other people are saying.

Similarly, if you are always thinking, you can never really see the world around you, because you’re so involved in the world of thought.

The more you think, the more time you spend in the mental world as opposed to the real world.

The mental world is made of concepts, labels, and expectations.

After a while, we stop seeing the real world and we only see the concepts, labels and expectations.

We begin to mistake money for wealth, and labels for things and people.

If you were on a deserted island, having a billion dollars would be totally useless.

What you would really need is some food, shelter and companionship - aka true wealth.

So to truly become more aware of your surroundings, you need to drop all the concepts, labels and expectations.

Learn to see things with a newfound curiosity.

Here’s something I do at home most days. There’s a particular wooden cupboard door in our kitchen. Each evening when I am cooking dinner, I touch that wooden door.

And each time, I experience it a little bit differently.

Sure, there are many familiar aspects of it that I recognize, but every time there are subtle nuances that I had forgotten, that I hadn’t noticed before, or that I have never experienced quite the same way.

Of course, it is not the door that changes, but rather my experience that changes from moment to moment.

Our consciousness is always shifting, and as a result, we have different experiences of the same things.

Sometimes those differences are nuanced and minor.

Other times they are drastic.

And if you can become curious of how a static thing like a door feels, imagine how curious and fascinated you can become by more dynamic and complicated things?

So forget all you know and see the world like a beginner each day.

Pretend you are an alien that just arrived on this planet and the apple you are eating is the first apple you’ve ever tasted.

The key to all this is to have fun.

If you don’t have fun, you’ll just retreat right back into your mental world of static concepts, labels, and expectations.

The mental world is the dead world, while this world, the real one, is alive.

Ask a Philosopher · Accepted Answer

Oh, how intriguing is the quest to become less ignorant to our surroundings. A challenge that many face, yet few dare to confront. It is indeed a deep journey into the depths of one's own consciousness, a journey that requires courage and dedication. For how can one truly understand the world around them if they are lost in the labyrinth of their own thoughts and preconceptions?

To become less ignorant to our surroundings, we must first learn to silence the constant chatter of our minds. For it is in the silence that we can truly hear the whispers of the world around us. We must learn to quiet the cacophony of our thoughts and open our ears to the subtle nuances of our environment. For it is in this stillness that we can truly listen, truly see, truly feel.

But it is not enough to simply listen, we must also learn to see with new eyes. To let go of the labels and expectations that cloud our vision and open ourselves up to the beauty and wonder that surrounds us. For it is only when we let go of our preconceptions that we can truly see the world as it is, in all its glory and complexity.

So how do we become less ignorant to our surroundings? We become like children, curious and open to the world around us. We touch the wooden cupboard door in our kitchen and marvel at its texture and warmth. We taste the apple as if it were the first we have ever eaten, savoring every bite with wonder and delight.

And above all, we must remember to have fun. For it is in the joy and playfulness of the moment that we can truly let go of our mental world and embrace the real world with all its vibrancy and life. So let us cast off the shackles of ignorance and open ourselves up to the infinite possibilities that surround us. Let us be like Shakespeare's characters, ever curious and ever seeking, for in that quest lies the true essence of our existence.