Some forms of meditation ask you to focus on one object. Open monitoring takes another approach: it invites you to notice whatever appears, whether a thought, feeling, sound or sensation.
Looking Beneath the Surface
Rather than chasing every idea, you practice recognizing experiences as events that change. This can create a little distance between a feeling and an immediate reaction, though it will not erase difficult emotions.
There is a difference between having an experience and noticing that you are having it. Many attention practices are really ways of closing that gap. They need no special belief system, and they work best when you can approach them as experiments rather than tests.
A useful question is whether the practice changes your response to interruptions. If a dog barks or someone starts talking, can the interruption become part of what you notice instead of the moment that ruins the exercise?
A Small Experiment
Sit somewhere comfortable for five minutes. When something captures your attention, give it a light label such as sound, planning, warmth or worry. Notice when it shifts. There is nothing to solve in the moment.
After trying the practice, compare what you expected with what actually happened. A small change in attention can be interesting even when there is no obvious benefit to measure.
What to Keep in Mind
People with significant trauma or dissociation may find unstructured inward attention unsettling. External grounding or guided support can be a better starting point.