Most people go through life half asleep. Not in the literal sense, but in the way they perceive the world. We move through our days in a kind of automatic mode, focused on what’s next, what needs to be done, where we need to be. And because of this, we miss so much. We miss beauty, and we miss the small, fleeting moments that make life rich.

I did an experiment in Madrid in February 2025. For one day, I wrote down everything I saw that was beautiful, and every beautiful moment that struck me. I wanted to see what I had been overlooking, what was there all along but had gone unnoticed. The list grew quickly.

Beautiful things: Karen, old ladies dressed up wearing fur, a cooked artichoke, stained glass windows, El Parque del Retiro, rowboats, the marble spiral staircase in our hotel, the ministry of agriculture building, Atocha train station, lines of scooters, tiled sidewalks, the basilica of Atocha, church bells, lit candles, a curved iron balcony, a checkered marble floor, parrots, peacocks, an almond tree.

Beautiful moments: sunrise, coffee and tea in the hotel, kids playing in church, four generations strolling the park, a musician, lunch in a loud café, people gathered outside on a corner drinking coffee, Valentine’s Day roses, ringing church bells, kids dressed up for church, a blind man walking steps and counting them out loud, girls selling brownies with a dream of opening a shop.

None of these things asked for attention. They simply existed, waiting to be noticed. And that’s the key: beauty is always there. We just have to stay alert enough to see it. Most people don’t. They rush past the old woman in fur, barely glance at the way candlelight flickers, never stop to admire the patterns of tiled sidewalks. They don’t hear the music being played nearby, don’t pay attention to the little joys of daily life. It’s not that they don’t care. It’s that they don’t think to look.

But when you do look, everything changes. Recognizing beauty, even in the smallest things, makes you feel more alive. It sharpens your mind and softens your heart. It gives you gratitude, and gratitude makes life richer. Seeing an almond tree in bloom might not change your life, but noticing it, really noticing it, does something to you. It reminds you that the world is full of small miracles, and you are lucky enough to be here to witness them.

Imagine how different each day would feel if you moved through it with the awareness that beauty is everywhere. Not just in famous landmarks or rare events, but in the way light hits a building, in the sound of a bell ringing in the distance, in the way people gather in a café and fill it with conversation. Imagine training yourself to notice these things, to take pleasure in them. The effect is subtle but powerful: you become more present, more appreciative, and, ultimately, happier.

So try it. Start looking. Pay attention to the things that most people ignore. Change your habits.  Wake up and appreciate the beauty of the small things. Most people see big things but miss small things.  It’s a human condition.  So see the beauty in all the things around you in a conscious way.  All day every day.  Because the beauty of life isn’t hidden. It’s all around you, waiting.