What is Summer of Attention?
Summer of Attention is eight weeks of prompts, bite-size reflections, and community connection centered around slowing down, building focus, and taking time to notice.
Who can participate in Summer of Attention?
Everyone! This is a project for anyone who wants to use their time, mind, and imagination more intentionally.
When does it start?
Summer of Attention will run from June 27th to August 22nd.
How does it work?
Summer of Attention will offer participants weekly concrete activities and thoughtful prompts to cultivate focus, attention, and the deep delights of noticing. Here’s the weekly structure:
Every Sunday evening, participants will receive an email with a goal for the week and related “attention challenges” for the days ahead. Attention challenges are specific, do-able activities to foster focus and connection and might include tasks like Take a color walk through your neighborhood—choose a color and make a mental note of everywhere you find it, or Handwrite a postcard to a friend, or Wait in a line without looking at your phone.
Every Saturday morning, participants are invited to a weekly virtual check-in. These 45-minute Zoom sessions will be held at 9 AM Eastern, and are a chance to share experiences and discuss what it means to pay closer attention in our day-to-day lives.
We’ll also have some special “guest noticers” who will share their own bonus prompts to help us see our world as deeply and fully as possible.
FAQ
I’m going to be traveling / working / sleeping in for part of the summer—what if I have to miss some check-ins or don’t complete a task?
No problem! Summer of Attention is meant to be a pleasure, not a stress. Feel free to complete every challenge and attend every check-in, or to pick and choose what feels most interesting. Summer of Attention is intended to be adaptable. It can be a community-based experience, an individual exploration, or something in between—whatever feels most valuable for you.
Wait, this project is housed on a writing website. Do I have to be a writer to do this?
Absolutely not! Summer of Attention is designed for everyone.
Who’s running Summer of Attention?
Summer of Attention is run by me, Catherine Pierce (hi!). I’m a poet, essayist, educator, and workshop leader, and I’m always looking for ways to bring attention more fully to my own life. You can learn more about me here.
Why did you decide to do this project, anyway?
Like many of us, I’ve noticed myself becoming increasingly distracted in my daily life, and have become frustrated by the way that my attention span—my ability to maintain focus without picking up my phone or clicking away from a document to my email—is eroding. I wanted to change things, but knew it wouldn’t be enough to have a vague sense of what I wanted to accomplish; I work best with structure, clarity, and accountability. Summer of Attention is designed to provide all of those things in a way that’s flexible and zero-pressure. These days, I know a lot of people who are struggling to find both focus and joy, and I wanted to create something where participants could explore individually while connecting through a shared goal: to notice.
How much does it cost?
Summer of Attention is $65 (for the full summer). This includes all weekly prompts and attention challenges, plus all weekly check-in sessions. I’m also able to offer a handful of free slots; if you’d like to participate but the cost is a barrier, please drop me a message.
