Featured Article
Recognizing your Superpower: the Ability to Focus
I think most of us would agree that we’d prefer to feel happy and loving emotions rather than sad or fearful ones. But how can we actually control this? Sometimes it feels like life is simply happening to us, leaving us little choice but to react and let emotions overwhelm us based on what’s occurring around us. The truth, however, is that we always have the ability to choose our reaction and attitude in response to life’s events. This is an empowering truth, but one that takes some practice to adopt. One of the best places to start is by recognizing what you are focused on and understanding your ability to direct that focus.
I still remember a lesson from my first yoga teacher, who told us, “You are not your thoughts.” Those words were life-changing for me. Our minds are constantly full of thoughts, but most of us were never taught that we can choose which ones we engage with, or indeed that those thoughts don’t have to define us. Once you can become aware of your thoughts, and start to understand that you can control them, then you can begin to intentionally guide your focus and, in turn, your emotions and experiences. While thoughts may arise, you can decide if you want to focus on and expand on a thought, or simply observe it without engaging.
One interesting practice I was exposed to recently is the idea of creating a “spiral-up plan.” That is, make a list of things you can do that help pull you out of negative thought patterns when they arise. For example, you could go for a walk, read an engaging book, or call a friend. Once you have this list, if you find yourself going down a negative spiral of thoughts, you can consult your list and choose an activity to help pull your focus to something more positive.
In today’s world, this practice is both more challenging and more necessary than ever. Social media’s constant pulse, 24-hour news cycles, and endless on-demand entertainment all compete for our attention. But at the end of the day, it’s our choice which of these, if any, we engage with. We can even use this instant access to our advantage by searching for uplifting or funny videos or inspirational authors as part of our spiral-up plan.
Step one is noticing your thoughts, and step two is developing your ability to notice them without engaging unless you consciously choose to. Try this practice for a day and see what you notice.
Featured Activity
Notice and redirect your focus
As you go through your day today, try to notice what you focus on. Sometimes we are just busy doing things, but see if you can catch yourself in your quiet moments and examine the direction of your thoughts. Are you busy planning something for the future? Or maybe replaying an event from the past? Simply noticing this is a great first step. And if you notice yourself focusing on something negative, see if you can find a way to redirect your attention and thoughts to a more positive topic. You might like to spend some time journaling on what you observe.
Sparkling Quote
One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. – Dalai Lama
