Every Day Matters: October

With Autumn in full swing, it is now time we shift our monthly intentions to ‘focus’ on our new theme: Focus.

“We have incredible powers of focus, although we don’t always choose to use them. Think of how we tend to view a leaf, maybe just observing its general colour and shape. But try looking more closely, really focusing your attention and see what you notice then… all the patterning, the veins, the tiny holes that let the light through – the sheer uniqueness of each one. When we really focus on something, it expands to fill our field of vision. Choosing focal points wisely is key to nurturing a sense of wellbeing, optimism and wonder. The pages that follow offer weekly strategies to help you identify and focus on the things that matter the most to you, empowering you to make good choices and to step away from situations that no longer serve you well. The more aware you become of your focus, the more you can make of every day.”

Affirmation of the month: “I focus on the positive.”*

Every Day Matters: October

“Let’s find a light inside our universe now… focus”

When I began to think about the word focus I thought of Ariana Grande lyrics. On looking over the lyrics, I didn’t really align with what she was saying: focus on me. While I advocate the need for self-love, self-belief and self-confidence, I don’t think we should be telling people to focus on ourselves. We must place our needs high on our list of priorities, for if we don’t look after us, we cannot imagine to look after others. We must instead focus our intention on how to be the best we can be – for ourselves and for others.

Finding a light inside our universe aligns with seeking the positive. Focus our energies and thoughts on those occasions that make us happy.

Every Day Matters: October

Sadly, it tends to be human nature to focus on the negative; on what’s going wrong in our lives. The assignment deadline we cannot meet, the spots forming on our faces, the traffic on the road that is making our commute that bit longer. Perhaps we could focus our energy on how best to handle the assignment deadline by making a list, or look into homemade face masks and vitamins we can enjoy to help our skin, or use the extra commute time to listen to a podcast or catch up with a friend. By focusing our energy on the positive in every situation, we receive energy, light and fulfilment in return. It’s exhausting being negative, so try seeking out the positive.

I am under more pressure and stress than I have been with deadlines, assessments and work commitments, but I am being pro-active. I am not seeing the situation as a whole and daunting task that overwhelm me, but I am trying to focus on the small things. That way, ticking off my to-do list fills me with a sense of achievement. I focus on the everyday tasks I can do, the elements of my routine where I can maximise productivity, and focusing on each single day rather than as a block of time.

Talking to-do lists, are you a fan? I find they really help me to focus my energy and hone in my concentration to the task at hand. It means large tasks are broken down into bite-size chunks and with this new found and focused power, I feel I can do anything. When it all gets a bit much, I go to the kitchen and get my bake on. These Date and Oat Coconut Brownies are my new favourite.

Date and Oat Coconut Brownies

See the beauty, opportunities and lessons available to us in each day and focus on what we have to gain.

*Taken from “Every Day Matters 2018 Diary: A Year Of Inspiration for the Mind, Body & Spirit”, Watkins Publishing.