A common feature that successful people have is that they tend to focus on the beautiful things that surround them and that they achieve, leaving almost all the negative things out.
Their focus is constantly oriented to see how good there is in the environment around them.
In all families there are more or less unpleasant problems and situations. You are not the only one who has that particular problem that is sinking and pulling you down.
Struggling has nothing to do with events, but with the reaction that everyone has towards them.
What happens is only what happens, but how we perceive it is another matter.
To give you a practical example of what I’m talking about I want to tell you about Alex Zanardi.
Do you know him? Zanardi is a former Formula 1 driver who in 2001 lost both legs in a terrible car accident.
An event that would have destroyed anyone psychologically. But as I said before, suffering has nothing to do with events, but with the reaction we have towards them.
Zanardi’s reaction to the accident was incredible, because even without his legs he returned to training and running and in 2005 he managed to conquer the Italian super tourism championship.
Then, after retiring from car racing, he began a new career in paracycling where he won several gold medals at the Paralympics and the world cup in road racing over the years.
I could give you other examples of characters similar to Zanardi, such as Giusy Versace who has a history in some ways similar to Zanardi, or Beatrice Vio, called Bebe, Paralympic world and European champion of individual foil despite the fact that at the age of 11, because of acute meningitis, both legs and forearms were seen amputated.
The reality is that there are people around us who, despite everything, even in the greatest difficulties, produce important results without being particularly benefited by the environment, money, background and still manage to become a model for others.
On the other hand, there are people who seem to seem to have everything: money, success, beauty, fame, but despite everything they choose to end their life because their focus unfortunately creates for them a reality of suffering and inner torment. Robin Williams, Kurt Cobain, Elvis Presley are just some of the first names that come to mind to mention.
Most people tend to focus more on problems, on things that are not going well, forgetting and almost completely ignoring the countless beautiful things they have.
It is as if in a large all-white wall we draw a big black point that represents our biggest problem, avoiding to add on the same wall the many colored points that represent the many beautiful things we have and for which we should be grateful.
For example a wonderful family, perfectly healthy children, an excellent job, etc …
Many people start to look at that black point so closely, almost as if they are banging their noses on it, that from this perspective they see only that, they can no longer even focus on the rest of the beautiful things they have.
This is the focus. What our mind pays attention to.
There are people who spend their entire lives with their noses attached to that point. And they only see that for their entire existence. By creating their reality.
I want to leave you with a small exercise to do to allow you to work on your focus. A very simple yet powerful exercise that I also did several years ago. Do it with constancy and lightness, as if it were a game.
It’s called #100happydays.
It’s about having to take a photo every day, at a beautiful moment in your day, or something that made you happy. And then publish this photo on social media (FB or IG or both) using the hashtag # 100happydays. This exercise must be done for 100 days, and for each published photo it also indicates its day. Example Day 1 for the photo of the first day, Day 2 for the photo of the second day … and so on, up to 100.
It may sound trivial or stupid, but this little game will help you focus on the many beautiful things you have in your life. It is of incredible strength, you will be able to realize it already after a few weeks that you do it, taking a look at all the photos you have published in the previous days.
Reality does not exist. We are the ones who create our reality by choosing how and where to focus our attention.
Everything is in the way we choose to see the world around us. This can be black or white, large or small, cheerful or sad.
It is our way of seeing that makes it one way rather than another.
And when you find out how to change your vision, you discover the power to change your life.