Mindfulness and Focus: Train Your Brain

I am reading so much these days about mindfulness and living in the present moment. The pandemic has given us all an opportunity to exercise inner reflection and, at the same time, become more aware of our surroundings. Initially, our day to day activities slowed down significantly and honestly, I was silently relieved that I could take a break from life and practice some introspection.  

I took this opportunity to do some reflection and determine what was really important to me. In this space, I was able to really define some of the key elements that I think drive us in achieving our goals and dreams. In the short term, being mindful of what we will focus on each and every day really determines if our days will be “good” or “bad”. In the long term, it is a compass for reaching our most heartfelt desires. 

Mindfully coming up with your day’s intention is a powerful tool that lets your brain know what you want to focus on. Why is this important? When we aren’t mindful and express our intentions, our brains have a tendency to react to the immediate events taking place in our lives including the bombarding effects of social media. We more easily go into reactive modes throughout our whole day and can get so easily distracted!  

My morning ritual includes a blank sheet of paper where I write my 3-4 intentions for the day. Notice that I did not call this my “to do” list. Rather, they are categories or outcomes I want to achieve that day. Items that mean the most to me. Do I want to connect with others? Do I want to be present for my family? Do I want to make an impact in my community today? What is the outcome that I want to achieve? Love and connection with my family and friends, contribution to my community, or growth in personal development or knowledge are all just a few examples.

Then, I write down the 1-2 activities I will focus on to achieve those outcomes. Did you know that focusing on just 20% of well thought out, impactful activities can get you to 80% of your results? If I want to connect with my family, for example, I can easily do that by committing to being fully present with them during our meals that day without distractions. While, planning an elaborate vacation would be fun and would also achieve the desired outcome, it is not necessary to do that to connect with my family. So take some time each morning to be intentional about your day by focusing on your desired outcomes, not your “to do” list, and experience a more fulfilling way to spend your precious time.

Solve for Peace Tip:

Live with intention so that life does not happen to you, instead it happens for you, by everyday training your brain to focus on the outcomes that matter to you.

Solve for Peace Activity:

1. Incorporate, in your morning routine, the habit of writing down 2 or 3 outcomes you want to achieve that day, outcomes that fulfill your life.
2. Come up with 1-2 activities you can do to achieve those outcomes.