ConZentrate on What Counts - in the Midst of Challenges and Distractions

Do you know one of the biggest lessons I've learned after researching, writing and speaking about attention and concentration for twenty years?

We can't control the thoughts that come into our head - we can control how long they stay there. Our greatest philosophers have come to the same conclusion. As we think, so we are.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Life consists of what a man is thinking all day long."

Henry David Thoreau said, "To affect the quality of the day, that is the art of life."

So, how do we affect the quality of the day?

By choosing to focus on what will matter in the long run. By chooosing to ConZentrate on what elevates and celebrates - instead of what drags us into despair.

You may be thinking, "I agree with that in theory; it can be difficult to do in practice. Between my family responsibilities, the pressures and stress of my job, and all the bad things happening in the news; it's easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged.

You're right, it can be daunting to deal with all that.

However, if you're feeling discouarged, this three minute exercise can help you SWITCH your thoughts from what's sabotaging your happiness and health - to what supports them.

Three Minute Exercise to ConZentrate on What Counts - in the Midst of Stress, Pressure and Despair

1. Stop what you’re doing right now. Put down anything that's in your hands. 

2. Select someone or something in your area. (If this would make a person uncomfortable, select an object, e.g., a picture, flower, view out your window.)

3. Give that person or object three minutes of your undivided attention. STUDY them intently. Really SEE that person or object as if for the first or last time.

As soon as you do, you will feel a newfound appreciation for that person or activity. You will find yourself really listening to that person. You will find yourself marveling at that curious baby exploring his surroundings, that athlete performing brilliantly, that flower budding outside your window. You'll find yourself more deeply engaged and appreciative.

A more positive frame of mind is, literally and figuratively, a moment’s NOTICE away. Paying attention to the beauty in your world provides an instant pay-off. It instantly improves the quality of your day, which is, as Thoreau pointed out, "the art of life."

I’ve collected a few favorite quotes on how to ConZentrate on what counts. You might want to post one where you’ll see it every day so it's (literally and figuratively) in sight, in mind.

The moment you start seeting the world as beautiful, the moment you start beleiving life is a blessing, it becomes one.

Ten Quotes to ConZentrate on The Beauty (Instead of the Bad) in the World 

1. "Everything that is done in the world is done by hope." - Martin Luther

2. “Don’t tell it like it is. Tell it like you want it to be.” -Esther Hicks

3.“All I know is my life is better when I assume people are doing their best.” – Brene Brown

4. “Develop interest in life, in people, things, literature, music. The world is simply throbbing with rich treasure, beautiful souls, fascinating people.” – Henry Miller

5. "In a world where you can be anything, be kind." - Connie Schultz

6. “When the eye wakes up to see again, it suddenly stops taking anything for granted.” – Frederick Franck

7. “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Mary Oliver

8. "Optimism is a happiness magnet." - Mary Lou Retton

9. “Love is within reach of every hand.” – Mother Teresa

10. "The whole of life lies in the verb SEEING." - Teilhard de Chardin

Every time I see de Chardin's quote, something deep within me says, “YES, emphatically YES.”

Really seeing the beauty in the world is the first step to Zen - to being IN your life, appreciating the miracle of it and experiencing it deeply - rather than rushing through it, feeling empty, unfulfilled or overwhelmed and looking back with regrets, wondering where it went.

The good news is, we can get good at conZentrating on what counts, three minutes at a time.

Next time you find yourself feeling the blues, blahs or blocks; SWITCH your attention from what's wrong to what's right.

LOOK UP. See the beauty around you. Fill your mind with it. Think or talk about all you have to be grateful for. Think ahead to something you're looking forward to.

All these are quick, tangible ways to positively affect the quality of your day and you can do that anytime, anywhere. Like right NOW.

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Sam Horn, CEO of the Intrigue Agency, is on a mission to help people create a quality life-work that add value for all involved. Her TEDx talk and books – Tongue Fu!, POP!Washington Post bestseller Got Your Attention? (which Marshall Goldsmith calls "a must for every leader") and ConZentrate (which Dr. Stephen Covey endorsed as “Remarkable, fascinating") have been featured in New York Times, Forbes and on NPR.