2 Choices for Your Focus Each Day

You can only focus on one thought at a time, right? That fact makes thought-control incredibly important because you get more of what you focus upon.

I love to hike, and while hiking, as in life, you can choose to focus on the vistas or the “blistas” (blisters). Vistas are the beautiful views and the incredible nature around you as you walk; it’s the people with which you are conversing; it’s the realization of all the benefits of the exercise you are getting and the break from work. “Blistas” can be the pain or fatigue you are feeling; it could be the uncomfortable temperature or your poor clothing choice; it could be what you forgot, or how poorly you managed time to get on the trail when you wanted to.

To focus on vistas during your day:

1. Wake up with an attitude of gratitude–that you have a new day on which to write your story, and all the little conveniences and the amazing people you are blessed to have in your life. Journal them for more effect. And go to bed re-counting the high points of your day.
2. Recognize the good things that come your way throughout the day. Maybe it’s an opportunity/open door that presents itself; maybe it’s savoring a delicious food item; maybe you are the recipient (or the giver) of a random act of kindness.
3. Remember it could be worse! As negative circumstances come at you, you again have a choice of focus: on how horrible it is, or how more horrible it could have been. How it’s probably a first-world problem and not life-threatening, or even if it is a crisis, how you can choose to respond with grace instead of react in anger.

By continuing to “auto-correct” your thoughts from negative to positive as your day progresses, you begin creating brain patterns that become more habitual, and you enjoy life more because it feels like your load is lighter. Then, that more optimistic attitude gets oozed onto everyone you meet, brightening their day, too.

Who’s in for vista-focus?

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