Where Your Focus Goes…
Have you ever heard the saying, “where your focus goes, your energy flows?” It is a saying used a lot in yoga and personal development spaces. It means that what we focus on is where we are putting our energy; that what we focus on will grow and take up space. Our thoughts, our focus, really does have that much power.
As we go throughout our day, so many things can demand our attention and energy. So many things can distract us from what is most important because someone deems something more urgent. Do you ever notice that? That there is a difference between important and urgent? A lot of times what gets our attention isn’t what is most important to us; it’s what feels most urgent in the moment.
Who decides what is most important? Well, I sure hope it’s you. I hope it’s me. If we don’t decide ahead of time what is most important to us, with purpose and intention, someone else or the world will decide for us. I was doing a cycle class when the instructor yelled out, “YOU are the MVP!! You’ve got this! You can do this! You are the MVP of your own life. Who else have you put in that spot?” Wow. Not only did this spur me on to push harder and faster, but it has made me think about this for months. How many times HAVE I put someone else in the place of MVP of my own life or allowed them to take that spot? It’s my life – I SHOULD be the MVP of my own life. YOU should be the MVP of yours.
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Life happens. Our calendars and to do lists can go off the rails in an instant. Our goals, priorities and self-confidence can take a hit. We can focus on all the ways things are going wrong or not as we want them to….and then guess where all of our energy goes? I struggle with this. As much as I try to be intentional with my thoughts and my healthy habits, I can totally get off track. And guess what happens? I lose my focus – and then my energy. I can start to focus on what is going wrong, how I am messing up, worrying about what else could happen, and then all of my energy (so much energy) goes to that. Sometimes I can so far down that path that it takes a lot of effort (and even more energy) to get back on track.
But. When I can pivot, shift, adjust – whatever you want to call it – back to what is most important, what is going well, what good is happening in the midst of the hard, the wins, the gratitude, my focus and my energy go to that. We get to choose where it goes…to the light or to the dark. Worrying and negative thinking takes so much energy, so what if what used that energy to find freedom?
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In a study about joy, it was found that most people thought that joy leads to gratitude. But, really, it’s the other way around. We focus on gratitude, and it leads to more joy. Where our focus goes, our energy flows. I don’t know about you, but I want a lot more joy in my life. A lot more energy that leads to the light and not just running in place, or worse running towards the dark.
I know I must not be the only one to get stuck and struggle with this? But, the good news is that I have a strong foundation and a good community of people that help me get back on track and refocus. Because where our focus goes, our energy flows. What are you focusing on? And if I can give you one piece of advice to shift it…what are you grateful for?
