Have you ever been so focused on your problems they consume your nearly every waking thought?

We all have. I’ve done it. Heck, lately I’ve been doing it nearly every day. Granted, I try to stay positive in my thoughts but I have to admit I’ve been consumed by quite a lot lately. I figure it’s time for a change.

Thanksgiving is only a few days away. And then Christmas. This time of the year has a mythical, magical quality to it. Our movies, our songs and even TV shows tend to focus on people’s expectations of what the holidays should be. Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus and every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings. The grinch that stole Christmas gives it back and in just the nick of time the money, person or whatever the need is appears at just the right moment. Those expectations of what we want out of the holiday season can be downright stressful if we let it.

I’ve decided to focus this season on what IS right instead of the things I WISH were right. Maybe my circumstances will change. Maybe they won’t. But I know that what I put my focus on matters. I call it the grey sky/green grass phenomenon.

When it rains (day time), the skies are generally cloudy, gloomy and grey. If you step outside and focus on the grey, it’s all you really notice. But if you shift your focus to the grass and the trees, you’ll notice something. When the skies are grey, all the green stuff outside is not just green, it’s BRILLIANTLY green. I don’t know if it’s the contrast of the elements or if the light is reflecting off the clouds. But I have noticed it before. And once you notice it, it’s hard not to realize how spectacular the difference is. And how beautiful it is. And suddenly, things aren’t as gloomy as before.

Nothing’s different. It was there before. But now it’s the focus. And focus makes the difference. So – now I’m shifting my focus. Instead of focusing on what’s grey in my life, I’m shifting to the green. Until I feel it’s time to move on, I’ll be blogging about the green in my life. Try it with me. Look for the green. Actively look for the green. And then tell me what you notice and if it changes anything in you.

Welcome back!

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 7:42 am and is filed under Stuff, green grass. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.