Focus on the Positive
I say it to everyone else. “Focus on the positive.” Seriously. And then, what do I do? Focus on the negative! I mean, isn’t that logical?
I think about what I want to change. I think about where I want to grow. I think about what I want to accomplish or achieve… Which means, these are places that need to change or things that I haven’t done yet. They become places of lack, failure, short-coming.
My resolutions for the new year are based on what I didn’t accomplish last year. ugh.
So, it’s time to turn it on its head. As I was feeling sorry for myself today, I visited The Happiness Project and ended up at http://www.reverb10.com/the-prompts/ to reflect on the past year.
And the questions turned me on my head.
Instead of “what do you want to accomplish next year?” (to which I always add the parenthetical – “that you didn’t accomplish last year”), the questions were a bit more positive.
Here’s a sampling:
- What makes you different and what do you do that lights people up?
- What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010?
- What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?
- What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year?
- How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year?
- What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year?
- What healed you this year?
- What did you eat this year that you will never forget?
- What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?
So, now, instead of focusing on what I didn’t accomplish or do or what I lack/lacked, I’m thinking about what makes me unique, what makes me happy, where I have already healed and what I already accomplished.
So, what about you? What great things did you experience last year? What were your happiest moments? And how did those moments make your life better?