It dawned on me a few weeks ago that I developed a habit of scanning for something to “heal”…I look for a physical or emotional symptom. When I had that realization I paused. In that silent pause I shifted my focus with the intention of looking for what’s positive/good/right (these seem like judgment words, but you get my point).

I have been wiring in a habit of shifting my focus and noticing the good and even developing a new perspective on some things I might label as not good. For example, when we had a string of overcast days and I physically felt more tired I chose to say, “Ahhh, this mellow feeling is so comforting. It reminds me of a ‘hot cocoa day’ on Christmas”. And I allowed myself to shift the meaning I was making.

If I feel particularly fatigued, instead of wallowing in the sensation, I elevate my mood through imagination, immersing in an experience. For example, I imagine being by a lake on a beautiful day with specific loved ones. I imagine the blue sky, gentle breeze, scent of pine, etc.

I reminded myself I can make choices. For example, if I think I’m particularly bored on a Saturday, I can either focus on boredom, or find something to do like draw, crochet, learn guitar, or even just sit with the boredom and get curious about the energy I feel with “boredom”. It’s actually pretty interesting.

Here’s a challenge for you: Whenever you notice yourself scanning or hyper focused on an uncomfortable thought or feeling, notice it, acknowledge it, then shift to something positive. Over time you might notice that you’re scanning for the good rather than what’s wrong.

Let us know in the comments what a couple weeks of practicing this does for you.