Paying Attention

The Bill You Never Opened

You canceled the walk.

You skip the pause.

You stay available because someone might need you.

And under all of it, something in you whispers:

"Don't stop. Don't feel. Don't look too closely."

Not because you don't care.

But because you know, attention has a price.

In behavioral economics, it is known that even small payments can trigger emotional discomfort.

Spending hurts.

But so does self-investment.

Because attention isn't cheap. It costs:

Especially when it's for you.

Especially when you've learned that giving to others matters more than tuning in.

You believe in self-care.

You know your needs.

But when it's time to choose something for yourself, contracts arise.

Because when you slow down, you might hear what hurts.

Because when you set a limit, you feel the guilt.

Because when you pay attention, you can't pretend you're fine.

But here's the thing: not paying the cost doesn't erase it.

It just adds emotional interest.

What part of me has I been emotionally neglecting?

Where do I resist tuning in because I fear what I'll find?

What cost am I finally willing to pay… for me?

"Tell me to what you pay attention, and I will tell you who you are."

Jose Ortega y Gasset

You don't need to give more.

You only need to notice what has already been given without rest, thanks, or renewal.

Attention always costs something.

But not paying costs more.

It keeps you away from the part of you that never stopped asking to be seen.

You're invited to fund yourself gently.

Download the Attention Audit practice and begin where your noticing begins to matter.