Hocus Focus

Happy Halloween everyone! A beautiful day today...clear, chilly and a bit of fog this morning for that extra "spooky" vibe. This picture is not photo shopped or edited in any way. Taken several years ago as I drove through a neighborhood where the morning sun, dew and spiders were in perfect alignment. At first glance I thought the homeowner had decorated the tree for fall, but this display needed no assistance. A perfect adornment from Mother Nature that no one else could have hoped to replicate with such grandeur. I was fortunate enough to bear witness and capture the beauty. If you look closely, you'll discover several webs sharing space on this lovely maple tree.

Today is Halloween and magic is in the air. Hocus Pocus is a familiar incantation and I've put a slight spin on that spell. Hocus Focus....which turns out to be not very magical at all once you've uncovered the logic. My first thoughts on this came about when I decided to unbury my head, which I had conveniently stuck in the sand.

Act #1

A long time problem was continuing to stump me and often I'd ignore it altogether. Of course this did not improve the situation, so I tried an experiment and went the opposite direction. I vowed to "pay attention" and be more focused on the issue. I scrutinized the smallest detail; analyzed, chopped, dissected and brought laser vision to the forefront. I was hoping to find the answer, fix the conundrum and finish this once and for all. Every day, for 2 months, I obsessed about, wrote about and looked directly at the problem. Unfortunately, this about-face tactic provided some unwelcome results.

Act #2

A while back I fell on the trail. Wearing sandals with virtually zero tread and rushing down a dry, graveled section, down I went. I was trying to hurry off the trail as there were two mountain bikers gaining quickly and when I planted my foot to pivot, the ground rose up to meet me. "Are you OK?" from the bikers. "Yes, thank you", I said with much embarrassment as Jazzy and I scurried away into the bushes. A nice S curve along my calf, but really only a few drops of blood. A quick rinse in the stream and I'm good as new with a nice conversation piece as the area turned many shades of green in the coming days.

A few weeks later I was thinking about mishaps such as falling and wondered if I should be more prepared for, well, falling. I'm not the type of person that thinks about the worse case scenario but figured it might be a good idea to practice a bit. In my past I did a wee bit of calisthenics and learning how to fall properly was part of the program, so this seemed like a sensible endeavor. Continuing my walk, I mysteriously kept tripping on the usual stumps and rocks along the trail. I was planning to fall and I was getting my wish. My grand strategy was backwards and I was receiving exactly what I was focused on...falling.

Act #1 revisited: 2 months of extreme focus on the problem. Guess what I received? More of that problem. No improvement, zero, nada. Simply more of the unwanted issue I was dwelling on with such intensity.

The solution:

Hocus Focus. You get what you focus on and here lies your power and your strength. Energy flows where your attention goes. Am I fueling the problem or turning toward the solution? Which one is in clear focus and receiving my energy?

Burying my head in the sand and pretending everything is roses and sunshine didn't fix my problem, but turning toward it and giving my undivided attention only provided fuel, made it bigger and tanked my attitude and positive outlook along with it. In contrast, when I fell on the trail, my long standing and continued focus on movement, strength and health allowed a quick bounce. The fall was simply a minor event. Welcome to life. I was totally prepared, not because I practiced falling, but because my primary focus and daily routine is geared toward building agility and strength.

I can be aware of areas I'd like to improve, but my energy and focus should be on the solution and what I DO want. Even if I don't have all the answers, my thoughts, words and actions should reflect where I want to be and not wallowing in despair of the current difficulty. This does not cancel out the very essential and necessary awareness and magic of NOW. This very moment is all we have, it's where we live and where life happens and although I may be working toward improvements, I am eternally grateful for everything right NOW. Celebrate the blessings of this moment and look confidently toward your goals. Bring them close and give them your laser focus.

Hocus Focus your dreams. Turn in their direction and keep your heart compass pointed toward their light, love and magic.

Happy Halloween!