Are you read to get more focused?
Focus is a precious commodity these days.
When I lose my own focus, it’s literally like I’m not allowing my life to be as good as it could be.
Overwhelmed, scattered and frenzied are not a great feeling. Even if you aren’t feeling particularly spun-out, it’s not that joyful to feel lost in space, disconnected and disinterested.
Wherever we focus we grow. And, when that focus gets shaky, it becomes harder to grow.
Where we focus, we manifest. And, when that focus is off, so is our conscious, intentional, creative power.
Refocusing has been my theme of the week, as a new level of action gets underway in my days. If you’re ready for more focus, I hope some of these ideas can come in handy to help you become crystal-clear-minded and brilliantly present!
There are so many ways to gain more focus.
My guiding idea is that I don’t want anything coming between me and my intention.
If there’s stuff that’s distracting me, pulling my attention or sending my energy off in directions that are at odds with my desires, it’s my time to step back and re-focus all my energy on what I want.
If you’re in that distracted place right now, join me in the refocusing!
Less and better.
I used to post on this blog 24/7, never missing a day. I also had a day job, about 1/8th of the things to do that I do now and I had a deep need to get things out daily. It made so much sense to me, it was all joy and I had complete bandwidth to focus on this blog 100% all day long.
I stuck with this daily habit for years and years, even for the greater part of five years where I was writing in airport lounges, on planes, on vacations, in between appointments and pretty much fanatical about it even though it was more about the habit sometimes than the deep joy.
With The School of Intention opening (there’s now a Professional Certification Program!) and the Feng Shui Camps running year-round and other big projects underway, last year, I broke that habit that wasn’t serving me.
I write at least a few times a week, for the most part, but it’s driven by deep joy and purpose and not obligation. I’m so in love with all that I’ve shared in this time, and I feel the energetic difference multiplied!
Less done Better. That is the way!
Grounding matters.
When I’m too spaced-out in overwhelm, too tired or have a crowded mind full of too many useless details that I’ve picked up from social media, I’m useless for creativity.
Grounding brings me back to Earth in all ways. I’ve written a bunch about getting grounded, and my favorite way to do it is to get outside and walk around lots of trees.
When I can’t do that, like recently in the LA non-stop rainstorms, I make it a point to do a grounding meditation. THIS is the simplest one I do, and it’s forever a favorite.
Spa time is essential.
If I stop my own self care, I can’t focus.
When I don’t feel right within myself, I just don’t feel right. I’m leaving pieces of myself behind in the neglect.
This may seem like vanity, but my very favorite beauty focus rituals include:
—a 10 step K-Beauty skincare routine everyday. (I’ll be sharing more on this soon!), but the 10 steps allow me time to focus on me and on a process that is nourishing.
— long sessions of deep conditioning my hair like I’m about to do now, as soon as I’m done here. I’ve been using a paraben-free, mineral-oil-free and silicone-free super-deep conditioner piled on in a luscious mask. I leave it on my towel-dried hair while I go about my day for an hour or so, and then rinse to reveal fresh strands of hair!
— heading to the Korean Spa, a real immersion in relaxing that refocuses my mind.
Whatever self-care fills you with a feeling of being “put together” is your self-care ritual for focus. I know women who paint their nails or do their hair to get focused and I know men who get massages or haircuts.
Whatever works to bring you back to a centered place of feeling “put together” will help you to focus much more.
Details mean more than speed.
Yes, I know we all move fast these days as a standard. I started moving much slower. I look at the details now, including the energy that I feel has (or hasn’t!) been invested in the things I’m doing. I add the energy. I add the polish. I edit more than I rush to create.
In the last few months I’ve been detailing all the content on the blog for it’s long-awaited redesign and everything from fresh photos to fresh grammar to fresh ideas are flooding the classic content with new life. I feel the difference profoundly as I write the blog as a joy and privilege. I hope you do, too!
I may not move as fast, but I know everything I do is 100,000% thoughtful and my personal best at the time.
Clutter always gets cleared.
Simple. More focus = less clutter.
My phone and online world can become clutter.
My #1 way to revolutionize my days– shut off the phone.
I was getting dumber and more dull the more I looked at my phone. I swear, it was the #1 habit that was robbing me of my voice, my ingenuity and my passion.
My phone is on airplane mode 90% of the time now, if it’s even on at all. I have no idea what’s hot or trending. I have no idea what the breaking news is, unless its truly critical news. I don’t answer the phone all day long unless I have to.
My mind is vibrantly alive!!!
Nutrition is magic because it’s energy boosting on every level.
When I need focus, I need more fantastic food. Whole food. Always unprocessed. I add superfood supplements. I take vitamins. I drink more water. It makes my personal electricity beam more widely.
I know this is not rocket science or some big revelation, but I recently learned I was deeply dehydrated (I’d never used the heat so much in my adult life as in this LA winter!) and it was creating all kinds of aches and spaced-out feelings of yuck. Rehydration alone has been magic for my focus and flow.
Unfinished projects are also clutter.
Today, I start knocking unfinished projects off of my list.
I have seven that are very pressing, but none is as pressing as today’s project that has floated for a month and a half! I may not finish it all today, but I am diving in!
By the end of the weekend, I should have at least one more 100% done. I’ll definitely have all of them done during March and the road will be wide open to tons of new opportunities.
That’s what finishing things does for me and for many others– it opens new doors!
Without Love I can’t focus.
If I’m not inspired to do what I’m doing, I can’t bring my full magic to the table. But, when there are administrative things to do that I don’t love dearly, I have found one ting to help me focus on them better—
I make them beautiful.
I add colors to spreadsheets, doodles to journals… I got a beautiful accounting interface. I light candles or add music to a room when I’m doing email-answering.
These aesthetics are a big booster.
All movement is vital.
Movement is medicine and freedom for your energy if it’s been overloaded or depleted.
From foam rolling to stretching, yoga, walking and hiking, dancing… and, soon, rebounding on a mini-trampoline… all forms of movement are magic in my life these days.
For years, I have been under-active and it took a toll. Getting into motion has been brilliance-making.
An intuitive friend suggested it would be best for me to do three big dance-type workouts a week, so my next fun thing is to find one!!!
However you can move, get in motion a bit more and you’ll be so happy you did!
There are so many ways to shift the energy around you to have more focus.
The Power of Intention you’ll gain, the momentum you’ll build and the genius you’ll unleash are just the beginning of the rewards…!
xoxo!!!
Dana
P.S.: The Cash Camp is coming soon.
Eight weeks of fortune-building Feng Shui to get your money in order & your wealth growing starts soon.
Dana, your blogs are beautiful, inspiring, nourishing and it gets better all the time!! Thank you!!
xoxox!!!