Living well requires a focus on the present, not just a promise for tomorrow. This is a difficult one for women, but a little easier for men because men are naturally single focused on getting specific results where women naturally have diffused awareness that takes them all over the place, noticing everything at once which drives them just short of crazy. As women, it is very important that we use our feminine nature to embrace and make great use of our unique diffuse awareness often, but we can also see the benefits and results of masculine thinking and nature to help us achieve our goals.
Women can tap into their masculine side and develop focus with some work. In the beginning focus can last for short bursts and then can, with practice, get longer and longer. Much like we ask men to tap into their sensitivity and recognize the importance of things like feelings and empathy and awareness, we can ask of ourselves that we quiet our minds and focus on the things that enhance our lives and bring us closer to our goals. Practice is quite simple, you only need to be aware of where your focus is and be willing to modify your thoughts if you are not focused. You can practice this by doing everyday things mindfully. To start, try washing the dishes and thinking of nothing else. Be in the moment with those dishes…smell the soap and feel the sensation of the warm water on your hands. Think about the nature of cleanliness and be in the moment of transforming an object that belongs to you from a state of uncleanliness to a state of perfection. Visualize the end result of the dishes being done and how beautiful your kitchen will look when you’re done. Be mindful of your environment and think about what is happening, why you’re doing it, and what will happen when your task is complete. This kind of thinking will give you the tools you’ll need to focus on larger and larger projects over time. Go from small to big, and practice focusing.
Focusing on important tasks that matter, that produce specific, measurable results can produce results that will contribute to living well.
