Change Your Focus, Change Your Life

Ever hold on to a situation you cannot change because you were too scared of change? Sometimes the path of least resistance is the longest road to change. So long we may never get there. When we hold on to the past, to anger, to fear, to the unchangeable, we slowly lose a piece of ourselves that needs to grow.

When we harbor excuses that could allow us to reasonably choose to wait for life to bring us something instead of going out and risking heart and soul day after day to get it we disengage and become passive. Doubting life and doubting self is a dark place to be. Sometimes in life what really needs to change for us is how we perceive the world around us. The value of an open mind and fresh perspective is as measurable as the positive energy you use to ignite the light of your chosen path. As we change, the world around us changes. Through giving and receiving we feed our soul.

It is through adversity we learn but it’s what we do with the knowledge of life’s experiences that paint our reality. What we tell ourselves and what we perceive around us sets the course of our life. On any given day we can hope for change or discipline ourselves to change it all. We can wish or we can do. We can also do nothing. We can be unpleasantly comfortable or bury deep in discomfort. The choice is ours to make.

Where do we begin? Our natural human tendency seems to focus more on our negative experiences rather than on our positive ones. At the end of the day what stands out in our minds is all that went wrong. What we have to give thought to is what there was to be grateful for.

Two powerful forces in our lives is moving away from pain and moving toward pleasure. Of these, moving away from pain is the most powerful. That is why we recall and hold on to painful experiences more easily. Therefore, unless we make a conscious effort to focus on pleasure our natural tendency will be to focus on pain.

We all experience adversity and blessings, that’s the way life is. Thankfully, we have the ability to organize how we perceive those experiences in a way that places a higher priority on our blessings. This may be easier said than done but the work you do can change the way you experience life. By focusing more on what we are grateful for each day those positive thoughts expand and reprogram the way we perceive our experiences. Someone recently brought to mind an old saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

I leave you with a story of inspiration…

When I think of overcoming adversity I am reminded of 36 year old Cami Walker. Cami was a newlywed with a lucrative career in advertising. In August 2006, shortly after her wedding and new promotion, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Cami sought relief from the pain of her Multiple Sclerosis and committed to giving 29 gifts in 29 days. The action she took changed her life, and ultimately the lives of other s around the world. As the founder of 29 Gifts and Chief Evangelist, Cami’s efforts have transpired into a growing movement that inspires people to change lives and the world one gift at a time. Cami believes the gift-giving changed her outlook which positively affected her health. To see a video on Cami’s story and learn how she turned her own challenges into a challenge to help others click on http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1714458183?bctid=1668060546

Challenge Yourself: An Exercise for the Soul
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This is your opportunity to take action! Challenge yourself by committing to the following actions and feed your soul:

Exercise 1: Begin working through changes you wish to make in your life by taking your own personal challenge at http://www.healthyedge-llc.com/Challenge.html

Exercise 2: Experience how changing the lives of others can change your life at http://www.29gifts.org