Change your focus – change your life!

What do you focus on? We got to thinking about this question as we took a walk recently. Maybe you have been feeling, as we have, that we’re a bit tired of winter. We realized there are the dregs of winter still remaining with snow that looks like it has been hit by a soot storm. These dirty snow piles can really look depressing if you focus on them. So we decided to change our focus. A different focus included noticing more pleasant things like puddles from the melting snow and the sound of water running down the street. The nearby pond was beginning to unthaw. We saw that the trees and the bushes are already starting to bud. As we noticed these things and focused on them, we realized that we felt much more positive. Hopefully, soon there will be warmer weather and green grass returning.

Sometimes we have some “winters” in our lives where things are going wrong and we can easily get caught up in focusing on all the bad that is happening or has happened in the past. However, when we focus on the negative, it brings us down even more and it’s more difficult to handle what we are facing and to take action to move out of the situation. Sometimes the things we face are also like the winter weather and we don’t have control. Then we need lots of patience to just keep living through it. That’s really a time to focus on any positives that can help us fuel our energy and motivation to keep going and get to the good times, the “springs and summers” of life.

Some people fear that if they think positively, they will not be thinking realistically. Actually, being positive doesn’t mean that you ignore the negative. Instead, it means that when you think positively and optimistically, you can handle unpleasant events in a more productive way. You will also be less stressed because you won’t be expecting the worst to happen. We agree with Tony Robbins who said, “Where your focus goes, energy flows.” So, if you catch yourself thinking negatively, turn your thinking around to positives as soon as possible.

The Mayo Clinic says that if you focus on negative thoughts, you are more likely to be pessimistic. If you think positively, research shows that there can be several health benefits including lower stress, lower depression, greater resistance to getting the common cold, and more sense of physical and mental well-being and more resiliency to face hardships. Also, positivity increases heart health and even reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Realizing the importance of focus, we decided to talk to some people to see what they focus on. We met Dan Turmes, Operations Manager at Office Depot. He’s a very busy guy in his work. When asked what he focuses on, he replied, “I like to focus a lot on fishing. Fishing is great fun, a way to relax, and a great way to get out in the environment.” We asked what he did to increase his chances of having success with fishing. He shared, “I ask around and see what’s biting in the local lakes and the river. I go ahead and get the right bait, find the right spot and have a good time.” He focuses on doing some research to prepare for a good fishing experience.

Then we met José Diaz, Assistant Manager at O’Reilly Auto Parts, who told us what he focuses on that is important to him. He said, “I focus on responsibility. I focus also on communication in the work area and that applies, also, outside of work. Definitely, I see a lot of improvement with my co-workers when they have a question about work or even if there are issues. If we can get those essentials down, it can be easier for me and also for them, too.” We agree with José that responsibility and communication are important in both the areas of work and personal life.
We enjoyed talking to Dan and José regarding what they focus on and we recognize how important it is to focus not only on areas of work, but also to focus on ways to enjoy personal life and leisure time. What about you? Where is your focus?

Here’s a challenge: We encourage you to make a list of things that you want to focus on. A positive focus can make a big difference in achieving your best life. As you change your focus, you can change your life.

Chanhassen residents Doug and Lynn Nodland are Success Coaches and owners of The Balance Center. They can be contacted at WeCare@SharingLifesLessons.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2018 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.