Top 13 'Everyday-Wonder' Noticing Habits to try for Finding Awe on Your Daily Commute in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
The whir of the train on the tracks. The sea of red tail lights. The same familiar crack in the pavement you sidestep every morning. For many of us, the daily commute is a necessary void in our day—a mindless, monotonous stretch of time we endure on autopilot, bookended by the demands of work and home. We zone out, scroll endlessly, or count down the minutes until we arrive.
But what if that journey, that very segment of your day you write off as "lost time," could become a source of profound joy, creativity, and mental rejuvenation? What if you could transform it from a chore into a daily micro-adventure? This isn't about wishful thinking; it's about a deliberate shift in attention. It's about cultivating the habit of noticing, of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. This is the practice of seeking "everyday wonder."
As we look ahead to 2025, it’s the perfect time to build new habits that enhance our mental well-being. Awe is a powerful emotion—it has been shown to reduce stress, increase feelings of connection, and boost creativity. And you don’t need to stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon to feel it. Awe is waiting for you in the reflection of a puddle, the pattern of bricks on a building, and the colour of the morning sky. You just have to learn how to look.
Here are 13 "everyday-wonder" noticing habits to try on your daily commute to get you started.
1. The Sky Gazer
This is perhaps the simplest and most accessible habit to begin with. We live under a constantly changing canvas, yet we so rarely look up. Instead of staring at your phone, dedicate a few minutes of your commute to simply observing the sky. Notice the subtle shifts in colour as the sun rises or sets. Are the clouds wispy and fast-moving, or are they heavy and dramatic, like mountains floating in the air?
Don't just glance; really look. Observe the gradient where deep blue melts into pale orange. See how the light catches the edge of a single cloud, outlining it in silver or gold. This practice connects you to the vastness of the world, reminding you that you are part of something much bigger than your immediate to-do list.
Try this: For one week, take a photo of the sky at the exact same point in your commute every day. At the end of the week, look at the seven photos together. You’ll be amazed at how dramatically different the same view can be, proving that no two moments are ever truly the same.
2. The Architectural Detective
Our cities and towns are museums of human design, but we often treat the buildings we pass as mere background scenery. For your next commute, become an architectural detective. Choose one building—it doesn’t have to be famous or grand—and give it your full attention. Look for details you’ve never noticed before.
Is there intricate stonework around the windows? A unique pattern in the brick-laying? Perhaps a "ghost sign"—a faded, hand-painted advertisement from a bygone era—on the side of a wall. Notice the different styles on a single street: the stoic, functional design of a mid-century office block next to the ornate flair of a Victorian-era home. Each building has a story, a purpose, and a history etched into its facade.
Try this: Focus on the rooftops. You’ll discover a hidden world of gargoyles, decorative chimneys, odd water towers, and even secret rooftop gardens. It’s a perspective few people ever take the time to see.
3. The 'Small Nature' Hunter
Nature isn't just found in sprawling parks and forests. It is resilient, tenacious, and thriving in the most unexpected urban pockets. Become a hunter for these small-scale wonders. Look for the determined dandelion pushing its way through a crack in the concrete. Notice the patch of vibrant green moss colonizing a brick wall, creating a miniature, velvet-soft ecosystem.
See the ants marching in a disciplined line across the pavement, or the spider that has woven an intricate, dew-kissed web on a bus stop railing overnight. These small acts of survival are a powerful source of awe. They are a testament to life's persistence and a reminder that a whole world is unfolding right at our feet, if we only bother to look down.
Try this: Keep a running tally of how many different types of "small nature" you can spot on a single commute. You might be surprised to find flowers, moss, insects, weeds, and resilient grasses all co-existing within a few city blocks.
4. The Light & Shadow Player
The world is in a constant dance with its light source, the sun. This interplay creates an ever-changing landscape of light and shadow that can be utterly mesmerizing. As you commute, stop focusing on objects and start focusing on how light interacts with them.
Notice how the low morning sun casts long, dramatic shadows that stretch across the street like giant fingers. Watch the dappled light filtering through the leaves of a tree, creating a shifting mosaic on the sidewalk. See the brilliant, sharp reflection of the sun off a glass window, or the soft, diffused glow of light on a cloudy day. Light transforms the mundane into something magical.
Try this: Pick one object, like a lamppost or a fire hydrant, and watch how its shadow changes throughout your journey. Does it shrink, grow, or change direction? This simple observation tunes you into the subtle rotation of the Earth.
5. The People Watcher (with Empathy)
People watching is a classic pastime, but it can be elevated from a passive activity to a profound practice of connection. Instead of just observing, watch with empathy and curiosity. Notice the small, universal moments of human experience unfolding around you.
See the tired parent gently stroking their child's hair on the bus. Watch the two friends laughing so hard one has to bend over to catch their breath. Notice the subtle, kind nod between two strangers who let each other pass. These moments are tiny glimpses into the complex, beautiful, and shared lives of the people you commute with every day. It transforms a crowd of anonymous faces into a collection of individual stories.
Try this: Look for a moment of kindness. It could be someone holding a door open, giving up their seat, or helping someone with a stroller. Finding these small acts of generosity can restore your faith in humanity before you even get to work.
6. The Sound Mapper
We spend so much energy trying to block out the "noise" of our commute with headphones and podcasts. For a few minutes, try the opposite. Take your earbuds out and just listen. Practice "active listening" by trying to identify and isolate the different sounds around you.
Think of it as creating a sound map of your environment. Can you distinguish the low rumble of the bus engine from the high-pitched squeal of its brakes? Can you hear birdsong underneath the drone of traffic? Listen for the rhythm of footsteps, the murmur of distant conversations, the rustle of a newspaper. The world is a symphony of sound, and tuning in can be a surprisingly meditative experience.
Try this: Close your eyes for 30 seconds (if you're in a safe place, like on a train or bus) and try to identify five distinct sounds. This sharpens your sense of hearing and grounds you firmly in the present moment.
7. The Colour Palette Curator
Our brain tends to generalise the colours around us—the street is grey, the sky is blue, the trees are green. Challenge this by becoming a colour palette curator. Intentionally search for specific shades and combinations.
You could pick a "colour of the day" and see how many times you can spot it on your route. On a "red day," you'll suddenly notice red doors, red cars, red post boxes, red logos on signs, and the red jacket of a fellow commuter. Or, you can look for interesting colour palettes in the wild—the combination of teal, rust, and cream on a weathered wall, or the vibrant yellow and black of a construction sign.
Try this: Find the most unexpected splash of colour on your commute. It might be a single brightly-painted flowerpot on a drab balcony, a piece of vibrant street art, or a cleverly designed advertisement.
8. The 'Forgotten Infrastructure' Appreciator
The world around us is held together by a network of unsung heroes: manhole covers, electrical boxes, sewer grates, and fire hydrants. We walk over and past them every day without a second thought. It's time to give this forgotten infrastructure the appreciation it deserves.
Start to notice their design. Many older manhole covers have intricate, almost artistic patterns and bear the name of a foundry that has been closed for decades. Notice the unique shape and colour of fire hydrants from one district to another. Appreciate the sheer, organised complexity of the wires suspended from a utility pole. These objects are monuments to human ingenuity and the systems that make our lives possible.
Try this: Look closely at a manhole cover or utility plate on the ground. Can you find a date, a brand name, or a symbol on it? Try to imagine its history and the role it plays in the city's hidden network.
9. The Reflection Seeker
Reflections offer us a warped, layered, and often more beautiful version of reality. Your commute is full of reflective surfaces that can provide a moment of visual awe. Look at the world through the curved surface of a car's side mirror, where the entire streetscape is captured in a miniature, distorted bubble.
Gaze into a shop window and see the world behind you superimposed over the display inside, creating a ghostly, multi-layered image. A simple puddle on the pavement can hold a perfect, shimmering reflection of the entire sky. Seeing the world reflected back at you is a wonderful way to break out of your normal mode of perception and see things anew.
Try this: Find a large, reflective window. Pay attention to how your own reflection interacts with the reflection of the city. It’s a powerful visual reminder that you are not just an observer, but an active part of the scene.
10. The Texture Tracker
So much of our experience is visual, but we can engage our other senses even from a distance. Become a texture tracker by consciously noticing the different textures of the surfaces around you. Don't just see a wall; notice the rough, gritty texture of the old brick versus the smooth, cool surface of a new glass panel.
Observe the gnarled, deep grooves in the bark of an old tree. See the bumpy, uneven surface of worn-out asphalt. Notice the sleek, glossy finish of a painted handrail. Even if you can't physically touch these things, simply observing their texture with intention can make the world feel more tangible, real, and rich. Here at the Goh Ling Yong blog, we believe these small shifts in perspective are key to a more engaged life.
Try this: Mentally "feel" the textures as you see them. Imagine what it would be like to run your hand over that rough stone wall or that smooth metal sign. This practice enhances your visual observation with a tactile dimension.
11. The 'Movement Choreographer'
Our world is in constant motion. Instead of seeing it as chaos, try to see it as a beautiful, un-choreographed dance. Watch the flow of traffic at an intersection—it has a rhythm of stopping and starting, a synchronised pattern of movement that is almost balletic.
Observe the way wind animates the world. Watch how it makes flags ripple, leaves skitter across the ground, or a plastic bag dance in the air. See the flock of pigeons that takes off in perfect, swirling unison. By looking for patterns in the movement around you, you can find a sense of order and grace in the hustle and bustle of your commute.
Try this: Find a high vantage point, like from a bridge or the window of a double-decker bus. Watch the flow of people on the sidewalk below. See them as a single organism, parting and converging around obstacles in a fluid, continuous stream.
12. The Typographic Tourist
Become a tourist of the letterforms and signs that surround you. Every sign, from the grand, glowing neon of a theatre to the simple, hand-painted "OPEN" sign in a café window, uses typography to communicate. Start paying attention to these fonts.
Notice the elegant, old-fashioned script on a historic building. Compare it to the bold, modern, sans-serif font used for the subway system. Look for peeling, painted letters on old warehouses or quirky, mismatched lettering on a small shop's awning. Typography is a public art form that reveals a place's character, history, and style.
Try this: Find the oldest-looking piece of lettering on your route. It might be a cornerstone with a date carved into it or a faded sign for a business that no longer exists. It’s like finding a small, typographic fossil.
13. The 'One Square Foot' Explorer
This is a powerful micro-meditation for when you're stuck in one place, like waiting for a delayed train or standing at a bus stop. Instead of getting frustrated, direct your attention to a single square foot of the ground in front of you. That's it. Just one tiny patch of the planet.
Now, explore it as if you were a scientist discovering a new world. Notice every single detail: the tiny cracks in the pavement, the different coloured grains of sand, the single, resilient weed, the discarded bottle cap, the ant carrying a crumb. You will be absolutely astonished at how much life and detail is contained within such a small space. It's a profound lesson in how much we miss when our focus is too broad. As Goh Ling Yong often says, the quality of our attention determines the quality of our lives.
Try this: Challenge yourself to find five things of interest within your chosen square foot. This trains your brain to look more deeply and find wonder in the most humble of places.
Your Commute, Reimagined
Your daily commute doesn't have to be a dead zone. It is a recurring, guaranteed opportunity to practice the art of noticing. By consciously engaging your senses and curiosity, you can transform this routine journey into a reliable source of awe, wonder, and mental peace. You will arrive at your destination not depleted and zoned-out, but refreshed, inspired, and more connected to the world around you.
You don't need to try all 13 of these habits at once. Start small. For the next week, pick just one that resonates with you. Maybe you’ll become a Sky Gazer, or perhaps a Texture Tracker. The goal isn't to be perfect; it's simply to be present.
What small wonders have you noticed on your commute? Which one of these habits are you excited to try? Share your experiences in the comments below—let's build a collection of everyday awe together.
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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