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WIIFY: Helpful tips for staying focused in 2018!
What will your New Year’s resolutions be for 2018? And how long will they last before they become dust on the shelf? Let’s make 2018 a different year – one that includes an acronym!
I’ve always had a difficult time staying focused on one task at a time, even as a child. I love multitasking and consider myself awesome at it. And while many studies argue against multitasking, as a full-time entrepreneur and full-time single mom of two, I’ve made it a way of life.
I rarely find time for myself, often thinking that one day it will be “my turn.” My priorities over the past several years have been my kids and career, leaving little room for me. As a result, life sometimes gets overwhelming, and I start hearing my close friends encouraging me to find time for myself and bring more intention into my life through mindfulness and meditation.
Sound familiar?
You’ve probably already tried some mindfulness and meditation routine, and if you haven’t, you’ve undoubtedly heard about it. Come on – who hasn’t heard these terms lately? You can’t go on the internet or into a bookstore without seeing a hundred headlines promising the benefits of both. Regardless, I just didn’t feel confident that they would help me.
I had mindful meditation described to me as a series of breathing exercises and mantras. The breathing relaxes and calms your mind, with the mantra helping you stay focused and gain clarity of thought. You should ultimately reach a level of visioning that manifests your desires to reality. Right? Well, my reaction was closer to “If you say so.”
Despite my skepticism, I decided to try it. I’ll admit, it all felt exciting and focused.
Things started out great. I carved out the time for meditation and practiced mindfulness throughout the day. But it wasn’t long before this “practice” became more and more difficult. In fact, it became the most frustrating thing in my life. I began to hate the work and avoid my meditation routine because I couldn’t readily feel or reap the benefits. And I just couldn’t focus or relax my mind long enough. Unfortunately, most of the mantras offered to me had little relevance to what I wanted to achieve or enough meaning to keep me in a meditative state.
What now?
Fortunately, an unexpected guide fell into my lap. Reading James R. Doty’s Into the Magic Shop gave me the key to keeping myself focused on my personal and professional goals. In his book, Doty recounts his journey of self-discovery and emphasizes the importance of connecting with your head and heart for an everlasting change. The book’s simple lessons and end-of-chapter exercises made an impact on my life.
In the book, Doty describes how he studied for his medical exams. To remember the medical terms, he made up acronyms. As an active problem solver, I decided to create an acronym for my mantra. I started with a list, the top things I wanted for me and my life. I chose not to short-change myself or feel guilty about my desires. The list eventually became the basis of my acronym, which in turn became my mantra.
With the acronym acting as a gateway in my meditation and mindfulness practices, I’m finally manifesting my new goals.
My acronym is MOOSBC. It stands for “multi-millionaire, online entrepreneurship, ocean-living, book-writing speaker and c-suite consultant.” You can see why I needed an acronym! And these terms have meanings for me that may not match your definitions. For example, “c-suite consultant” feeds my passion for helping leaders turn their workplace into a community where individuals are inspired to show up at work and feel like they can make a real difference. And “multi-millionaire” means more than luxurious living. It stands for the money and influence to create an environment where young adults learn how to become leaders and solve problems through creativity and confidence.
Yes, big dreams, and they keep me moving forward.
Your life requires a combination of many “tools,” all working in harmony at different times to create happiness and fulfillment. We all have the right to live a happy life and feel fulfilled. And to do so, you need the right tools. I liken it to filling a toolbox; you don’t always need all the tools at the same time – unless of course, it’s a big project.
With the success of my new mantra, I’ve added meditation and mindfulness as a couple more tools in my life’s toolbox. I put them into practice when life gets stressful, or I feel like I’m not living my purpose, or I’m stuck in a passionless situation.
These new tools come with simple instructions: ”Close your eyes, breathe deep, clear your mind, and chant a mantra quietly to yourself.” But for some of us, it’s way harder than it sounds. And yes, if you can’t feel or see immediate benefits, you may lose motivation or not even start at all.
Here are a few tips to put this article into practice:
1. Practice a mindful state, and you will see things differently.
You can boost your positivity and confidence by looking at life through a different lens. When you become more aware of your surroundings, you can quickly let the things and people that show up in your life do the jobs they were meant to do. Stop fighting or ignoring and let the help shine through!
2. Create an acronym to keep your eye on the prize.
Write your list and then create your acronym. You can even think about it throughout the day. I like spelling it out with essential oils on my yoga mat or pillow at night before I go to sleep. Your acronym can help you in multiple ways, including increasing motivation to begin meditation and mindful practice.
3. Create a vision board to help you with your “why.”
Vision boards are an interesting trend. I’ve seen vision board parties popping up, and many professional life coaches have used them for years to help clients. I create them to focus on what’s important and to simplify my life, as I believe that “The mind shapes itself with what it sees.” When I see my “why” every day, it validates my focus.
Try it! Grab a piece of cardboard, a few lifestyle and business magazines, glue and scissors. Or take the tech route with a Pinterest board or similar idea. Start to create a picture of your “why” and see it become a part of your life!
4. Keep filling your life’s toolbox.
You’ll never find one thing that magically pulls together your life. Fill your toolbox with many things you collect along your journey. Remember that you will not use every tool on a regular basis. Sometimes we need enough mindfulness to know when to collect them for future use or put one tool down to pick another up.
Just remember that the process of manifesting your wants doesn’t always happen the way you think it should, but whatever you visualize usually happens. When it doesn’t, there’s often a good reason, so let it go and keep moving forward.
You’re capable of doing amazing things, far beyond what you consider possible. Believe in yourself and accept that not everyone will understand. Accept this reality and go around it when it surfaces instead of letting it stand in your way.
Care with an open heart and be present. Let go of the story that defines your life. If you’ve made an identity out of hurt, disappointment, negativity, you’ll always live within those definitions for as long as you carry them.
And you’ll know when you haven’t been using the tools in your toolbox. If you feel stuck or lost in your current endeavors, then set aside some time to be mindful, even just 30 minutes a week. Spend the time writing and visualizing what you want for you.
And 2018 starts now!
