Keep reading… it’s good 😉

When I think of the word focus – I can see a photo in my mind that Fred took of me years ago when I was in the midst of working on my (at that time, daily) blog – Eyes intense, lips pursed (apparently I do that when I’m thinking, ugh), fingers resting on the keyboard waiting for the next thought to pop. Even though artfoodhome.com is a relatively “fluffy” blog (my views on art, food, home – artists, recipes, house plans and of course my random thoughts) – it does take intense concentration at times to keep track of who I’ve featured, who I’ve contacted, who I’m waiting to hear back from , etc. I get so focused that sometimes I don’t hear Fred talk to me, but apparently I have the talent to answer him without realizing it – OOPS! The image I described (me concentrating while writing) is not the image that I used for this post, I used a photo I took of Charlie – focusing on his next sliced carrot… ha.

Artists will know what “being in the zone” means – when you’re deep into a painting, time and everything else falls away. You are truly concentrating on what you’re doing and nothing else is getting in the way, like other times when thoughts keep popping in “it’s time to make dinner”, “I should be cleaning these art supplies up now”, “am I doing this right?”

The same goes with reading – if you’ve ever read a good book (and please tell me you have, if you haven’t STOP reading this and go grab a book!) chances are you were lost in the zone, deep within the book where it seems as if you are there. It’s like magic!

Is there anything better? Losing yourself in another time or place…

When problems arise or worries surface, focus on the needs of others. By focusing on others we can shift our perception of reality and maybe get out of the funk we sometimes land in. We can always find someone who could use a laugh, a hug, some help with shopping or their yard, maybe even just bringing in the trash cans. #itsthateasy

One option… donate to a blessing box, food bank, etc. Get out, go shopping, think about what someone else could use, then take it to those wonderful boxes for those who are going through tough times – Leave what you can – Take what you need. Charleston Blessing Box – is a project that was started that is now supporting over 200 food pantries & fridges in South Carolina. Katie Dahlheim wrote a book about it, Building a Kindness Army – boy, does this world ever need this! (I’ve written about the Blessing Box project in a previous post, click HERE to read it)…

Focus to remain positive. If you focus on the negative you will worry, be sad/mad/frustrated… know that you cannot change all of reality only YOUR reality. You control your destiny, remember that. Shift your thoughts and try to wake up in positive mood (maybe have a painting or photo that you see first thing when waking up that puts you in that place). When the day gets to be too much at times – imagine a place where you are happy. Go. There.

Some of us need to learn to do this. Every day. I am among you… I try hard to present everything in a positive light, but sometimes… life gets in the way. #wereallhuman

Try not to let it.

-via WordPress daily prompt: focus