We have a special family ritual with our children. On their twelfth birthday they can select any city in the continental United States to visit for a special celebration alone (i.e., sans siblings) with mom and dad. So, my wife and I recently took our middle child to New York City to celebrate her birthday.
Having been there many times myself, it is always great to see the wonderment in a first-time visitor's eyes as they take in the lights of Times Square, the windows of 5th Avenue shops, the view from the Empire State Building and the ethnic richness of Chinatown and Little Italy.
But something struck even me this visit. Since our hotel was right off of Times Square, we walked a well worn path down Broadway during our four day stay. Times Square really is the ultimate in sensory overload. Get the picture?...
I realized the obvious – that sightseeing is all about what you are looking for... like one of those seek and find puzzles. After nearly a dozen trips down the same street, I noticed something new every time. Whichever item we were looking for seemed to appear even though we had previously walked past it numerous times - a souvenir shop, a deli, a street vendor selling scarves, a hot dog stand, live musicians or Italian cannolis. Okay, I admit, I actually spotted the cannolis the very first time I passed them! Amazing how we found what we were seeking each time.
We draw into our lives the things we focus on. If your mind is ready to pay attention to something – new people to meet, selling opportunities, new applications for an old product, ways to save money, chances to learn a new skill – you draw those things into our consciousness. They have always been there, now you are just paying attention to them. When we change the way we look at things, things change the way they look.
Instead of paying attention to every single piece of information in our stimulus-rich world, if we seek the things we want in our life, that's exactly what we will find. Need proof? Just watch this 68 second video...
Managing our personal focus today is more important than ever for our mental and emotional well being. Look at what you read, listen to and the people you associate with. If we seek negative, we find negative. For example:
Seek...
Find...
Drama
Life is a soap opera
News about job losses
Anxiety
Retirement account statement
Depression
Stories of investment fund embezzlers
Cynicism
On the other hand, if we seek positive, that’s what we will find:
Seek...
Find...
Humor
Life is comedy
New opportunities
Energy
Things you can control
Empowerment
Ways to help others
Gratitude for what you have
People who inspire and lift you up
Support and encouragement
Faith
Comfort
In life, we get what we choose to look for, so choose wisely... and positively.
