By Cornelia Tan
What do you focus on each day?
Many of the things needing our attention are seen. But your focus, the act of putting your attention on something, this part is unseen.
When you overly focus on things seen such as material wealth and success, you starve your soul. Your soul — the feeling, thinking, decision-making part of you — needs food, a different kind of food:
- Love
- Kindness
- Happiness
- Joyfulness
They are all unseen but tangible. This is soul food.
So focus your thoughts on things unseen but lasting and fulfilling:
Love:
It is always kind, always gentle, always thinks good about others. Love is patient, love never gives up but perseveres, always hopes, always endures. True love will never fail you.
So feed yourself on love. As you do to others, so they will do unto you.
Joy:
It gives you strength in life. When your heart is weary and heavy laden, hold a joyful thought in your mind, such as the innocent laughter of a newborn baby. Joy will gladden your heart and lighten your mood and lift your burden. Who can resist a joyful smile?
So take joy for inner refreshment.
Hope:
Is what keeps us going. Hope is all about the things that we look forward too (like the end of a working day) and work towards. Hope is about something unseen that brings each individual a reward. What are you focusing your hopes on?
So take a hope check now. Make sure that it is positive and attainable.
Reflections for inner change
How do you define love?
Do you express that definition in your daily interactions with your spouse, colleagues and friends? (Remember our definition of love here for comparison. Love is: patient, kind, long-suffering, does not count the wrongs suffered, always thinks and believes for the best in others and in circumstances. Love is a very positive value to have.)
What are 3 simple things that bring you joy?
Think on them as good thoughts as you go through the day. You’ll see yourself smiling more often. The more good, happy thoughts you focus on, the happier you will find yourself.
What do you hope for?
What do you put your hope and trust in?
Is it money? That can devalue. Is it a person? Our life is very fleeting.
What is it that will last forever?
It is love. The love of one person can touch millions of lives and leave a legacy that endures. Just like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. They are gone, but they leave behind a rich legacy of lives touched.
We respond to love and need love, a love that is pure, gentle and sincere. So wrap yourselves in love. Remember, love is patient, so wrap yourselves in patience. When you are annoyed, remember, love does not count the wrongs suffered and wrap yourselves in that. You will find that you will change inwardly and outwardly as you do so. Your life will become more positive and you will be a positive influence on people all around you.
Love conquers all things! Let us put our focus on love and joy this week.
Finally: Whatever is good, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, think on those.
It doesn’t matter what mood or situation you are in. If you focus on positive thoughts in the midst of a storm, you will find yourself an overcomer.
