Where are you putting your Focus and Attention?
by Franco Marini, MA, CNL, Adjunct Professor, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver
It’s a beautiful day outdoors and I’m enjoying the peacefulness that I feel around me even through the crazy environment that’s out there all around us. What are you focusing on today? Right now?
I am noticing today that it appears to me that the volume is turned up on everything in my life. It’s as if the speakers of life, that everything comes through, are ramped up. When I think about the pain and suffering that’s going on in the world, I feel it more intensely. When I focus on family and friends, my love for them seems a bit deeper than usual. Last night, Kay, my wife, and I watched a Russell Peters comedy show from Toronto, and even though I have always thought Russell was funny, last night he was funnier than I ever remember him.
During more intense moments in life, which there are many available lately, I see more clearly that where I put my focus and attention is where my energy goes. I’ve always known this, as I’m sure you have, it’s just more apparent to me now. If I am focusing on what is going on with my family in Italy, my entire being is on edge…my emotions are heightened, my thinking is skewed, and my essence feels very primal. If I am playing a game of cards with my wife and having a glass of wine, my view of life is quite child-like and I smile and relax a lot.
We may not be in control of what is going on in the world, and, we are in control of where to put our energies and what we choose to focus on.
It’s a bit outrageous out there. How are you “modeling the way” for yourself and for others? Be kind to yourselves, be gentle with others, especially when they are triggered, and put your focus and energy on what works best for you.