“Our thoughts create our reality -- where we put our focus is the direction we tend to go.”

Why do we always look for the perfect way to start something? Have you ever sat down to write something, maybe a card to a loved one, a term paper, or even a business letter, but got so wrapped up on the way to begin you stopped all together? We can place so much emphasis on the ideal opening that we get turned off and put down the project all together. For the last couple of days, I have been trying to write this blog. I did research on the web and there is an enormous amount of information on how to construct the most effective blog. The problem is, I kept focusing on finding the "perfect" title and opening that not only did I come up empty, but I lost focus of the goal, the most significant thing: Writing the actual blog!

I find that this happens with a lot of things in my life. I spend too much energy on the trivial details, therefore losing focus and most of the time completely forgoing the original goal.
But why? Does it come from a place of fear? And as I am writing this, fear seems to be the only viable answer. At times we can get so scared that it’s easier to create completely different situations that distract us instead of trying to stay on track and move forward. And how do these distractions even help with what we were originally focusing on? Well, they don’t and the sad part is, most of the time we don't even realize we are doing it.

So, how do we realize it? How do we wake up and confront our fears head on without creating distractions along the way? Well, here it is, the transition to yoga. Yoga is the best way I know on how to become aware. Written in the book of Yoga Sutras it states: “When doubt is there, there is a carelessness, a sort of lethargic attitude or laziness. And when the mind loses the interest and alertness toward the higher goal, it has to do something else so it will slowly descend to the sensual enjoyments. The point here is that we should not keep changing our object of concentration. When you decide on one thing, stick to it whatever happens. Even if it is a long route, your perseverance will make it short. Our aim is to make the mind steady, so it is immaterial what object we take. Anything can take you to the goal, because you are not concentrating on the object for the sake of the object but for the sake of your goal. Why do we want to have this one-pointed concentration? To make the mind clear so you can transcend it. You are not going to cling to the object but just use it as a ladder to climb up. Once you have reached the roof you leave the ladder behind.”

I guess that’s a pretty damn good start, even though I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Palm Springs, conversations with my friends, and the glasses of wine I drank to distract me from writing this blog.