My Secret To Staying Focused

It's hard to stay focused on our goals when random thoughts and images pop in and out of our minds causing unproductive and, at times, dangerous distraction. Beyond that, it's almost impossible to fall asleep when our thought take over at night. It's as if we have no control of our thought processes and as a captive audience to the misery they provoke we become victims of our own minds. Surprisingly, it doesn't have to be that way.

How then to stop painful thoughts from creeping into your head? First of all, your thoughts are an action that you actually have control over. You can can choose to think about whatever it is that you wish to occupy your mind with. Unlike dreaming, where scenes pop in and out uncontrollably, thoughts though seemingly random, can be controlled with some practice. The most disturbing thoughts and images can be, if not prevented entirely, snuffed out almost as immediately as they occur.

A little trick I use, I call the bug, bubble, seed technique. What I have found is that any thought or image can be categorized into one of these three images.

First, the bug category I use for any thought that makes me cringe. It can be of a person, an event, or activity that I absolutely cannot bear to think about, deal with, or lose sleep over. These awful thought provoking images, I see as big ugly bugs to be exterminated. This enables my ability to dismiss the thought immediately, and is the easiest of all unwelcome thoughts to rid oneself of.

Next, the bubble. I use this for any scenario that might create a state of sadness, or reflecting on it might cause the shifting away from the present. Any thought that fits into this category has the power to impair our ability to function or think clearly. The bubble may hold precious moments and even memories of loved ones, but can still cause an adverse effect if it floats into our minds at inappropriate times. To deal with the bubble, I acknowledge it's presence as it drifts into my mind, allowing it to float away to return at a time of my own choosing.

Lastly, the seed. A positive thought that energizes, motivates and enable creative thinking. The seed also allows us to go outside of ourselves and reach out to others. Depending upon the moment that you're in, the seed can be stored for planting at a future time, or immediately cultivated when the moment is right. The seed often represents a welcomed image that can reverse a creative block or be the resolution to a long standing problem.

Using these three categories for dealing with random thoughts, you can be totally in control, stay focused on the task at hand, and experience inner peace or meditative relaxation.

I welcome your feedback.

bb