The second most often asked question I hear about focus is how do I focus? For a girl with untreated Attention-Deficit Disorder for most of my life, focus is something that I have learned to do fairly well over the years. When I allowed myself to be treated, it just honed even more. There are still areas where am working, but I know I can do it when I put my mind to it.
So how do you get started? Open the doorway and walk in. Really. Decide what it is that you need to focus on and then do it. Make them at a time when your at your best. It might be morning, noon, evening or late night. It doesn’t matter when, it matters that you set a time to turn your focus to that. You may need to start with short intervals. It may be once a week, twice a month, or daily, but make a plan and start there.
I can share an example from my own life. When I decided that I wanted to start studying the Bible daily, I would find myself falling asleep after the first line. I could guarantee sleep if I just opened it up. But then I decided to set aside five minutes. That time gradually increased. It was scheduled, but it was purposeful. I would pray, read my Bible and write out what God was speaking to me. Then I added in time with my children we would pray and do a children’s devotion or ready from the little blue Bible Story books that frequented doctor’s offices when I was a child. I had the whole series. That time built over weeks, months and years, but I had to decide to walk through the doorway.
The second thing is, don’t beat yourself up when it doesn’t look like you want. Some days I put in several hours. Others days, I read, pray, write and go back to sleep. And still other days, I may miss. I used to get religious about it, but reality is God’s Word is inside of me. I talk to Him daily. He is not judging me for missing a day. I am sure He would much rather me desire to spend time with Him than just check mark a box like spending time with Him is a task to complete. Those days have gotten fewer and farther between, but when I first walked through the doorway of personal time with God, I was good to do it a couple times a month. Now it is part of my daily routine, something I look forward to and enjoy.
There are many things that started out in my life with little focus, but you have to decide what is important and then start making it a priority. Devote time to it. Choose to walk through that door as often as you can, intentionally. Eventually it will become something that is just engrained and you will see yourself moving more towards your goal at a faster pace and see more doors opening towards your purpose.
This blog is part of a #Write31Days series on Focus with prompts by #FMFParty. Write 31 Days is an online writing challenge, where bloggers pick one topic and write a post on that topic every day. Five Minute Fridays provides prompts and encourages writers to free write for five minutes on the prompt.
Restoring Voice 