Deciding where to focus our limited time, energy, and attention can be a challenging task. However, I like to use two simple questions to help me determine where to direct my efforts:
- Is it significant?
- Can I influence it?
If the answer is no to either of these questions, then it's likely not worth our attention. If it's not significant, why waste our time on it? If we can't influence it, then we shouldn't worry about it.
There are many things that we can stop thinking about, such as whether someone likes us, the weather, or the latest gossip. Instead, we should invest our time and energy into things that we can control and that matter to us. For example:
- How we treat our loved ones, even if they don't meet our expectations.
- Our personal values and how we can align them with our actions.
- How we respond to unexpected situations, such as a change in plans or a difficult conversation.
- Practicing mindfulness and letting go of negative thoughts and emotions.
By freeing ourselves from worry and unnecessary stress, we can redirect our energy into meaningful pursuits. What other areas of our lives could benefit from this extra focus and attention?