How do you describe life?
What word picture comes to mind when you think of your life? The words you use have meaning and that meaning defines how you perceive things to be.
Here are some examples. Maybe you can relate to one of them. None of them are right or wrong but it’s good to know how they affect us.
Life is a Battle
If you describe life as a battle then you’ll use words like:
I just have to fight through it.
I’m going down for the count.
Who’s coming against me today.
It’s every man for himself.
I just keep getting pummeled.
When life is seen this way it also is experienced this way. You’re going to have to fight through each day.
Life is a Gift
When life is seen as a gift you’ll use words like:
Each day is precious.
I wake up each morning with gratitude for another day.
Today I’ll be present.
You have to take time to stop and smell the roses.
Life viewed as a gift is a 180-degree turn from viewing it as a battle. People who see life this way live life from a place of gratitude.
Life is an Adventure
Those of us that see life as an adventure find ourselves saying:
Wow! Today was fun!
I wonder what’s around the next corner?
People never cease to amaze me.
This week was a roller coaster.
I can’t wait to see what’s next.
When life is viewed as an adventure it is seen as fun and you’re often more flexible because that’s what you do on an adventure.
Life is a Dance
Viewing life this way will cause you to say things like:
Crank up the music! I’m ready for today!
Ok, I made it through that part. What are my next steps?
Today was just beautiful.
I can lead or I can follow. Which will it be today?
Ah, I made it through today gracefully.
When you picture your days as a dance, you see the beauty and the intricacy of your actions. The type of dance the day brings determines how you approach it. Some days you do the twist and others the waltz.
Focus Affects Our State
How you view life or even just your day affects your state because the word pictures we use affect our emotions which control our state. That was a mouthful, wasn’t it? Let me unpack that.
Whatever you focus on you will feel.
If you focus on life being a battle, you’re going to feel like you’re in a battle every day. Whatever we train our minds to focus on, we build a lens through which we view life. The lens you view life through affects how you experience life and how you experience life determines how you feel.
If you want to change your life change what you focus on.
Focus Is Everything
Will changing your focus change everything around you? Of course not! There’s still going to be good things and bad things that happen to you. You have no control over what other people do.
What you do have control over is how you respond and how you respond depends on what you’re focusing on.
It’s been said that the quality of your life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond.
That is so true!
You can choose to be a victim and always be on the defensive. (Life is a battle)
or
You can choose to be a victor and live life on your terms. (Life is and adventure, gift or dance)
Which do you choose?