Life is a magnificent tapestry woven with the threads of our experiences. But there’s a truth we often overlook: life itself doesn’t determine our overall experience in life; the focus we choose to embrace determines how we experience life.
What does that mean exactly? It means that our character is not a fixed entity but rather a dynamic product of our life experiences. It is through these experiences that we forge the essence of who we are or who we choose to be or become. The truth is, it’s our choice. The good news is that it’s never too late to make a new choice!
As we grow and evolve, our character becomes the lens through which we perceive and interact with the world and our lens shapes our experience. We are on a continuous journey of self-discovery and development, where each of our experiences becomes a stepping stone towards being the person we aspire to become.
The human mind is a remarkable instrument, capable of transforming the mundane into the extraordinary. But know this: our mind can just as easily transform any mundane experience into a negative one. Which do you prefer to experience?
We hold the power within us to transform our lives in profound ways by consciously and intentionally directing our attention, our focus. Let’s dig a little deeper into this topic to understand how our focus shapes our actions and the meanings we attribute to life. My goal here at Modern Consciousness™ is to give you keys that unlock an abundant, joyful, and purposeful existence.
So, let’s explore how you can leverage the power of focus in your daily life.
The Power of Focus
You’ve probably heard the statement ‘Where focus goes, energy flows.’ Focus is simply what you pay attention to. What you choose to focus on is the lens through which you interpret your world. It determines the thoughts you entertain, the emotions you experience, and the actions you take. If you consistently focus on the negative aspects of life, you inadvertently create a negative experience that perpetuates a cycle of dissatisfaction and despair which only serves to further increase your negative experience. However, shifting your focus towards the positive aspects of life, even in difficult situations, creates a pathway for you to embark on a transformative journey of growth, gratitude, and fulfillment.
One clarification so you know. I am not advocating for people to ignore their challenging or disruptive experiences by covering them up with a positive thought or a mantra. Not in the least. That doesn’t work. We all have experiences that necessitate healthy emotional release or require a thoughtful solution. What does work is bringing conscious awareness into your life on a daily basis in all things to purposefully cultivate a positive focus vs letting your mind run on automatic. Trust me. Doing so will not only benefit you and those around you daily, but it will also create a pillar of strength upon which to rest when you do face what may seem like insurmountable challenges.
What we want to do is purposefully cultivate a positive focus in our daily lives to build the character strengths of optimism, resilience, and emotional well-being to name but a few.
Five Steps to Cultivating a Positive Focus in Life
Here are five steps that you can implement in your life today (and every day) to cultivate a positive focus. To build those character strengths I mentioned above. I’m providing simple examples for each to show you how a just subtle shift in your thinking can create a more positive result from those routine annoyances that often trip us up throughout the day. The key here is to be conscious throughout your day, stop and notice what you are experiencing/thinking, and then gently but purposefully shift your focus to one that is more positive. You’ll be amazed at the results you’ll experience over time beginning with just the little stuff which is perfect to begin reprogramming your subconscious mind! You know the saying: practice makes perfect! Here we go…
1. Gratitude as the Gateway: Cultivating a practice of gratitude allows you to shift your focus towards the blessings and abundance present in your life. By acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects, we invite more positivity into all of our experiences.
Example: Being stuck in a traffic jam can be very frustrating and stressful, especially when you have a scheduled appointment time that you know you’re going to miss! It’s easy to focus on the negative aspects of this situation which only serves to increase your level of agitation. So how can you flip that to gratitude? Be grateful you have a cell phone and can call or text who you are meeting and let them know you’ll be late. Be grateful that you have additional time to continue listening to that audiobook. Be grateful that you are safe and shielded from the weather outside. Be grateful you didn’t leave 10 minutes earlier or you may have been the vehicle that was struck by the car that ran the redlight that caused the accident that caused the delay. In these situations, I count my blessings and, if it’s an accident, I send blessings to those involved with deep and heartfelt compassion. You can’t control the traffic, but you can control how you react to it!
2. Mindful Awareness: Becoming aware of your thought and behavioral patterns and developing the ability to consciously redirect your attention in a positive way, increases control over your focus. If you need one, create a ‘magic statement’ or a movement such as snapping your fingers to anchor the action of bringing you back to mindful awareness.
Example: Let’s say you received some critical feedback from a client. It’s easy for us humans to over-generalize or distort that experience into a statement such as “I can’t please anybody” or “this bad review will ruin my business.” Here’s the reality. No, you cannot and will not please everybody and no, one bad review won’t ruin your business. The sentiment of one individual is not representative of all, it’s simply representative of the individual that posted the review. And don’t even go down the path they are wrong and you are right. Instead, shift those thoughts through mindful awareness to acknowledging that a customer expressed a concern based on their experience and use it as an opportunity to see if there was any merit to the complaint and, if so, how you leverage that to deliver exceptional service to others in the future. You can also stack your positive focus by reminding yourself to be grateful for all of the fabulous happy clients you do have! (See how that works?)
3. Vision and Purpose: When you align your focus with a compelling vision and a clear sense of purpose, you infuse your everyday experiences with meaning and motivation. By keeping your eyes on the horizon and recentering yourself back to your desired vision and purpose, you energize yourself to take purposeful action.
Example:Aligning your daily experience with your vision and purpose sounds like a daunting task but imagine an individual who has a deep passion for art and dreams of becoming a professional artist. Their vision is to create captivating and meaningful artworks that inspire others. However, due to various circumstances, they find themselves stuck in a monotonous office job that is unrelated to their creative aspirations. In this situation, the misalignment of their vision to their daily life might produce a negative experience, one that they grumble about daily which, as you know by now, only serves to increase their level of frustration, longing, and unfulfilled potential. Instead, what if this person cultivated the belief that the job they do have is actually in support of their vision as it provides them with an income that not only pays the bills, but even pays for the art supplies they purchase as they continue to hone their craft in pursuit of their ultimate vision? This job is just a stop along the way of a longer journey. Can you see how their job into something that is actually supporting their vision might bring more joy and less frustration into that person’s life?
4. Surround Yourself with Positivity: Your environment greatly influences your focus. By consciously choosing to surround yourself with positive influences, supportive communities, and uplifting media, you create an ecosystem that reinforces our positive focus.
Example: This one is simple. I get that it’s not always the easiest to execute, but the answer is simple. If the people that surround you make you miserable, create healthy boundaries and/or find new people. If you’re in a miserable work environment, find another job. If your friends create nothing but drama into your life or don’t support your goals and ambitions, find new friends. It can be trickier if it’s family but you still have the power to create an environment that uplifts, supports and nurtures you.
5. Celebrate Progress: Instead of fixating solely on the destination, cultivate a focus on progress. By acknowledging and celebrating even the smallest victories in your life, you reframe your experiences as stepping stones on the path to success and fulfillment. You can stack your positivity here too! How? Express gratitude for the victory! Acknowledge how this achievement moves you closer to your vision! Fully give thanks and celebrate like you mean it! All too often we let our little victories slip by. Don’t do that! I keep a bell on my desk and one in the kitchen. Something great happens? Even if it’s a dinner that turned out fantastic? I ring the bell!
Example: If you become frustrated trying to implement these five steps into your daily life, keep practicing! Don’t worry if you haven’t perfected it yet. Celebrate every single time you successfully notice a negative thought! Celebrate every single time you successfully refocus on the positive! Don’t berate yourself for the time it takes to gain mastery. You know what they say. Practice makes perfect!
The Power Lies Within Us
In the grand symphony of life, the power lies within each of us to compose the melody we wish to hear. By recognizing that we don’t just passively experience life but actively shape it through our focus, we empower ourselves to design a life of joy, meaning, and purpose. Can you shift your focus from what is lacking to what is abundant in your life? Can you shift your focus from problems to possibilities? If you consistently bring conscious awareness to your life, you can and will unlock your true potential and embark on a journey toward a joyful existence. One in which you remain at peace within regardless of what’s going on in the external world.
Now is the time to harness your power of focus and create a life that is nothing short of extraordinary. Embrace the positive, embrace the transformative, and let your focus guide you toward a future brimming with limitless possibilities.
If you want to transform your life experience and bring your vision and purpose into focus, click below to learn more about my Elevate Your Life™ program to fully discover your truths and begin living the life you know you are capable of living.
