As we pass people we simply notice whether we open up or shut down. We notice if we are feel attraction, aversion, or indifference, without adding anything extra like self-judgment. We might feel compassion toward someone who looks depressed, or cheered up by someone who's smiling to himself. We might feel fear of and aversion to another person without even knowing why. Noticing where we open up and where we shut down — without praise or blame — is the basis of our practice. Practicing this way for even one block of a city street can be an eye-opener.
— Pema Chodron, The Places That Scare You