{"id":3185,"date":"2019-01-18T09:18:25","date_gmt":"2019-01-18T15:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wholeperson.com\/blog\/?p=3185"},"modified":"2019-01-18T09:46:17","modified_gmt":"2019-01-18T15:46:17","slug":"focus-mindfulness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wholeperson.com\/blog\/focus-mindfulness","title":{"rendered":"Focus and Mindfulness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

But it sometimes happens that I cannot easily shake off the village. The thought of some work will run in my head and I am not where my body is, I am out of my senses. In my walks I would fain return to my senses. What business have I in the woods, if I am thinking of something out of the woods? <\/em><\/p>-Henry David Thoreau<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"Woman<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Focus can be improved<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Focus\ncan be improved using mindfulness-informed tools that are designed to increase\nmental concentration and inner calm. The art and science of focusing has many\nfaces. It may look like a man sitting in solitude on a meditation cushion, or a\nwoman sitting in a caf\u00e9 slowly sipping from a paper cup, mindfully watching her\nthoughts. At other times the face of focus is a person absorbed in an art\nproject, or a group of friends on a ten-mile run, or a teen absorbed in her\nfavorite music. Of course, all of these activities can be done unmindfully \u2013\nwithout focus \u2013 but they are infinitely more rewarding when performed with\nattention to the present moment. When we focus on our present moment experience,\nthe brain rewires itself in such a way that it makes the experience more\nsatisfying. With practice, we can gain the ability to focus on demand. Take a\nminute to think of an area in your life that could benefit from more focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focus\ncan arise when we are moving just as easily as when we are sitting. Stilling\nthe mind is what matters. If you are feeling especially physically or mentally\nagitated or if the busyness of your life is getting you down, try these\nsuggestions calling for stillness or internal focus. Building mental focus will\nbenefit each one of the four domains of your life: balance, belonging, focus,\nand meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take\nnote of what is distracting you \u2013\nif you don\u2019t feel ready for a meditation practice it\u2019s okay. Start by noticing\nwhat is distracting you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n