The debt crisis. The political race. The changing economy. Massive problems seem to be everywhere.
In a time when the world seems to be falling around us, how can some people look through the fear, and see abundance instead?
A few years ago, I noticed that while a lot of people around me focused on the bad almost exclusively, the most successful people in my life rarely talked about the bad at all. Surely they noticed the bad; how were BIG problems not impacting them in BIG ways?
So I started asking questions to find out why they only saw the good in situations. Turns out it isn't that they didn't hear about the bad; it's where they chose to focus their time that mattered instead.
How you view the world is entirely up to you.
If you view it as bad, it will be bad. If you view it in abundance, abundance will surround you. You reap what you sow. Once you realize how easily you can change your situation solely by the way you face it each morning, you realize how much more you can have... simply by changing your outlook.
Focus On People, Not Things
I've learned that people are inherently good; it's only when they are influenced by the bad that they become inflexible and unwilling to bend or change. That's not saying you'll get along with everyone or see his or her opinions eye to eye.
But if you approach every situation with the best intention, you'll get a lot of positivity in return. A smile and a hello go a long way. The friendlier you are, the friendlier the people around you become. If you choose to not discuss the negatives of life, your conversations improve as well. And the more you live in a positive mode, the more your relationships will improve tenfold with the people you choose to hold closest to you.
Focus on people and you'll find opportunity in the things you do. If you put money or things or opinions first, you'll almost always meet holdbacks.
Change Your Expectations
Do you see life as unfair? Do you see yourself with never enough?
Stop expecting things to change. A long time ago a mentor told me that the only way to be happy was to be happy in the now. If you attach happiness to something you currently don't have, the act of achieving happiness will always be out of reach.
The same applies to abundance. If your life is filled with abundance and opportunity, if you have enough to do the things you need to do, you'll approach each situation with a new mindset. Which in turn will breed more opportunity.
Focus On What You Have, Not On What You Lack
Many people focus on what they don't have instead of what they do. Lack produces lack.
Conversely, when you focus on what you have, it brings more in return. Abundance produces abundance. Prosperity creates prosperity.
I sit and meditate for 30 minutes every morning. At the end, I focus in on the three things I'm most grateful for from the preceding day. Don't discount the little things or the things common to your life. If all you can be grateful for is a warm bed to sleep in, or a few minutes of writing in a journal, that's your starting point. Gratefulness comes in all shapes and sizes. As you learn to appreciate the little things, the bigger things start introducing themselves into your life. Not because they weren't there to begin with -- in some cases they were -- but because you begin to recognize them for the value they bring to your life.
Focus On Your Why
Give yourself credit for your why. Choose what you do and give it your all. So much of our media today focuses on finding your passion, but I feel when you enjoy everyday for what it has to offer, your passion will more than likely find you. You'll discover a piece of your job you want to pursue. You'll find a hobby you want to invest more time in. You'll notice people you choose to spend time with and learn from.
Your why always comes from living in the now. If you do things because they make you happy, you'll be happy working at the things you do each day. And very quickly you'll see the excitement in what you have, and work harder to bring more of it into your life.