What do you focus on?

Defined as to pay particular attention to, focus can be an elusive thing. Or, rather, perhaps it is better to say it is more often something we are unintentional with. We focus on our phones, social media, the news. Things that are out of our control.

Epictetus, the ancient Stoic Philosopher, once said “What is it then to be properly educated? It is learning to apply our natural preoccupations to the rights things according to Nature, and beyond that to separate the things that lie within our power from those that don’t.”

What he is saying, I believe, is that we need to be able to separate those things which are out of our control from those that are within our control. And to then apply our focus liberally to that which we can control and to let go of those things which we cannot.

Ask yourself, where are you focusing? How much time are you giving to things that are out of your control? Is there something else that is more worth your focus?

And then, some days we just don’t have as much focus. Maybe we are tired, mentally, physically, or even emotionally. When we are it is important that we listen to the warning signals that our mind and our body is giving to us. Sometimes, we need to take a moment to slow down and rest so that we come back with a renewed focus the next day.