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The word of the month is, Focus.  In a busy world in which we live, it is not always easy to focus on the things that we need to focus on.  Sometimes, people won’t understand when you just need to devote time to yourself to focus on your progression.  Too often, we spend so much idle time focusing on other people and we put ourselves last.  It is time to focus on you. 

 

Focusing on you is not a selfish act, it is self-care.  No one else will focus on you, like you will.  Your priorities are important to you, they are not always important to everyone else.  Sometimes, you have to turn off that cell phone, limit the time you spend on social media, turn off that television, stay in the house, and focus on getting done what you need to get done for yourself.   You have to be mindful of how you prioritize.  You should be a priority, especially to yourself.  Sometimes, when you focus on yourself, you’ll get to see how much of a priority you are to other people.  People that you used to put before yourself, you’ll notice that when you don’t call them, they don’t call you.  If you don’t visit them, you don’t see them.   If everyone else is putting themselves first, when are you going to start putting yourself first?  Focus on you.

 

People won’t always understand why you don’t call as often, why you don’t always answer the phone, or why you don’t visit or hang out like you used to, but that’s okay.  Focusing on you is the only way that you can get things done in Your life.  Focus on what you need to focus on to start that business, if that’s your goal.  Focus on your goals.  Nothing good comes without sacrifice.   Focus on growing your business, if that’s what you need to do.  Focus on building business relationships with like-minded people, if that’s what you need to do.   Focus on getting your finances in order, if that’s what you need to do.  Focus on helping your children learn and grow, so that when you are no longer around, they will be able to take care of themselves.  Focus on writing your book, if that’s what you want to do.   Focus on taking that cooking class, if you want to be a better cook.  Focus on rebuilding the love in your marriage or relationship, if that’s what you need to do.  Be mindful of what you are devoting too much time and attention to.  If it is not adding value to your life, it is subtracting from your life and taking you away from focusing on what you need to do to progress.   

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Yes, you can divide your time, however, just find your balance and do not neglect yourself, your goals, or your own needs. Focus on getting healthy, if that’s what you need to do.  Focus on getting out of debt, if that is what you need to do.  Sometimes, we have to learn how to say no, and be okay with saying, no.  We can’t always be there for everybody all the time; if we are, we will have no energy left for ourselves.  There is nothing wrong with helping people, when you can. 

 

Don't overlook your own needs in an effort to help others.  For example, if you are in a financial struggle yourself and someone needs your financial help, keep in mind that you cannot always pay your own bills, if you are helping someone else pay their bills.  People have to understand that just because you have enough money to take care of your financial needs, doesn’t always mean that you have extra money to take care of their needs as well.  Don't feel threatened when some people have the nerve to get mad at you when you tell them that you don’t have money to give to them.   No matter how mad they get, stay focused on your goals.  When you don’t have it to give, don’t give it.  Don’t take away from your own needs, so much that you now have to go without and your bills are past due.  Your money is allocated to do what you need it to do for you, not for what someone else wants you to do with your money.   

 

It is okay to focus on you first, and when you are in a better position to help someone else, then you can choose to help them (if that's what you want to do).  It doesn’t mean that you love them any less, when you cannot help them. Real family and friends will understand and won’t take it personal when you cannot always be there for them. If you don’t focus on you, no one else will. 

 

Too often, we lose focus and put ourselves in a tough situation when we overlook our own needs.  We get off track, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot get back on track.  If we lose focus, we can refocus.  Don’t keep letting people or situations take your time, resources and attention away from what you need to focus on.  Focus on going back to school, if that is what you want to do.  Focus on your progression and how you want to get there.  Focus on your goals.  Focus on starting your music career, if that’s what you want to do.  Focus on landing that acting job, if that’s what you want to do.  Focus on healing, if that is what you need to do. 

 

What are you devoting your time, attention, resources and energy to?  Sometimes, you will have to separate yourself from others for a while to be able to really focus on you.  Focusing on you for a lot of us is a sacrifice, when it shouldn’t be.  Sometimes focusing on you, might seem selfish to others, because you are not focused on them.  But, how selfish is that?  It’s never too late to start focusing on you, somebody has to do it.  I nominate you to focus on You.  Be Empowered to Focus.

#iamfocused

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By Lynnette Clement

 

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