Have you ever had an experience like this?
Your car’s getting older and you're thinking about replacing it. You begin researching your options. Once you decide on the model you want, suddenly that exact car is EVERYWHERE!
That happened to me when I had my mid-life crisis and ditched the minivan for an Outback. Whereas my choice to buy the minivan had been based on being able to fit the kids and their little buddies safely, I chose the Outback because I was able to strap my paddle board on top. #priorities 😉
Once I decided on the Outback suddenly EVERYONE was driving them. I’d never seen so many in my life. In the weeks it took me to actually buy one, I swear 50% of the cars I saw on the road were Outbacks.
And while that might be a slight exaggeration (very slight), it demonstrates my point.
Were there actually more Outbacks? No. So why did I suddenly see so many?
Because that’s what I was focused on, and
What we focus on grows.
This is pretty exciting stuff, because once we realize the power in this, we can choose, every day, to focus on what we want more of!
There’s a lot out there about The Law of Attraction, and while that concept intrigues me, that’s not what I’m talking about here. What I’m talking about are things that are already part of our lives, but because we are focused elsewhere, we don’t notice them.
A more exciting example – When I decided to start running at the age of 40, suddenly everyone I met seemed to be a runner! Everywhere I turned there were people to ask advice of or articles to read about runners who inspired me. All because that was my focus.
This same concept can be used abstractly as well.
Want more positivity in our lives? Think positive thoughts! Is that overly simple? YES! And that’s the beauty in it.
We complicate things by trying to think them to death, when most things really are that simple.
I’m not saying we bury the bad; I think we all know that’s unhealthy. What I’m saying is focus as much of your energy and thoughts on what you want MORE of. Accept the rest but let it flow.
For instance, how much time do we spend talking about that person who did something rude to us? Do we stop to consider that we are actually re-creating that experience in our minds and bodies every time we talk about it? We are literally creating MORE of that negativity in our lives by re-living it over and over.
And by doing that, we are limiting the energy available to the good experiences and happy people in our lives.
So why not focus on those instead?
Both exist. Both are real.
Which one do we want more of?
As I’ve gotten older, I have a LOT less time and energy for… well… everything. So I’ve become incredibly selective about where I place my focus. If it’s a problem that needs my attention, I’ll focus on it. But if my attention can’t fix it, buh bye.
Instead, I focus on the people and things that add joy to my life. Because that's what I want more of!
So for the next few days, I challenge you to consciously place your focus on ONE thing you want more of in your life. Something that's already in your life, but that you want more of. Just notice its presence in your life, small as it might be right now, and be grateful for it. Celebrate the fact that it's there at all. When your mind drifts to something stressful or upsetting, bring it back to that thing that makes you smile.
Just give it a shot and see what happens. And let me know how it goes.
Xx Jen
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