Sharpen Your Focusing Skills

What you focus on determines how you feel. This applies whether you are focusing on an external thing or on an internal thought. It is easy to feel good when you are focused on something external like a great song, a funny video, a person you love, or beautiful aspect of nature. Often, however, the thoughts we are think are the most powerful determinants of our mood.

You could have just received a nice bonus at work, but if the thoughts in your head are, It’s about time; This feels too little too late, you will feel resentment instead of joy. The good news is that with a little practice you can use the power of your mind to focus on things and thoughts that feel good even when what is actually happening is not so great.

This might seem obvious, but it is easy to be so caught up in the rush of daily life that you give your attention to whatever is in front of you and allow whatever that is to set your mood. On the other hand, when you remember that you have a choice about what to focus on at any given time, you take your power back.

Next time you are not feeling as good as you would like, shift your focus—either externally or internally. Change the subject altogether by focusing on something else entirely or find a better-feeling thought about the same subject. The choice is yours. If you want to feel better, you can choose to focus on something that feels better.

Our minds have the ability to conjure thoughts, images and feelings that have nothing to do with what is happening around us. With a little practice, we can harness the power of our focus to soothe ourselves in times of stress and inspire ourselves in times of uncertainty.

What is the best-feeling thing or thought you can focus on right this minute?