There’s so much that I could tell you about what’s not working in my life right now and about how hard things have been for me in so many ways over the last few months. And it’s so tempting for me to do so because I know how much love and support I’ll receive from so many of you, which I would be so grateful for. But I’m not going to go down that road right now. Because I’ve been there. And I know where it leads: to more of the same. And I don’t want more of the same. I’m ready for something very different: a life that’s filled with vibrancy and health and calmness. I’m so ready for that, and I know that the more I focus on what’s right in front of me (even if it’s not what I want), the more of it I’ll receive.

On one of our writing group support calls last week, we started talking about how hard it can be to shift our focus from the negative to the positive. We were talking about how easy it is as writers to focus on what we haven’t written and the goals we haven’t reached and beat ourselves up about it all. And, for whatever reason, it oftentimes takes a conscious effort to focus on all of the words that we have written, on all of the goals we have reached, and on all of the progress that’s already been made. And this applies to so much more than writing.

For any of us who have spent even five minutes in the self-help world, we know that we have the power to create whatever life we want by choosing what to focus on. We know this. And yet, no matter how many books we read about it or how many Facebook memes we see telling us about it, we still oftentimes find ourselves stuck in the muck of what we don’t want. And while we could spend hours and hours and days and days and years and years trying to psychoanalyze why this is, I think it’s pretty clear: we’re just out of practice of focusing on the good. It takes a bit of an effort to shift our thoughts, and we just get complacent and even lazy. It happens. It’s normal. And it’s okay. Because, thankfully, we always have this moment – this exact moment that we’re in right now – to decide to go toward the light instead of continuing to sit in the darkness. All we need to do is pivot just a tiny bit – no need for huge leaps or life overhauls. Just one small pivot will get us back on track. Just one new thought that’s filled with positivity or hope. Just one action that’s leading us toward the life we want to be living. Just one cheer to ourselves for making our well-being a priority. That’s all.

And just like negativity multiplies, so does positivity. If you, too, are struggling and are finding yourself spiraling into a dark hole, know that you do have the power to switch your direction and start spiraling up toward the light instead. We all have this power within us. It just takes a bit of conscious effort. So that’s what I’ll be focusing on. More time at the beach. More time thinking about what I want rather than what I don’t. More time feeling grateful for what’s already working rather than feeling despair about what isn’t. Less time beating myself up for being somewhere I don’t want to be. More compassion for myself. More love for myself. More time smiling. More time having fun. More time living…really living.

If you’ve already made this pivot and are already living in the light, then I applaud you and am inspired by you. And if you’re like me and are ready to pivot, then let’s do it together and cheer each other on as we shift our focus to all that we want and move away from all that we don’t.

Life can be hard. And it’s normal and necessary to go to places that aren’t always fun in order to learn and grow and heal. But if you find yourself getting stuck in the muck – if you find that it’s become your new normal – then maybe it’s time to pivot yourself toward something lighter, something that feels better.

And remember, just one tiny pivot is often all it takes to start you in a new direction that will lead you to exactly where you want to go. And you’ll immediately start to release some of the heaviness that you’ve been carrying as you begin to change your habits and allow yourself to feel good again. You deserve that. We all do.

And I’m certainly ready to give myself permission to let go of all of this pain that I’ve been carrying so that I can fully embrace this beautiful life that I’ve created. And I hope that you will, too.

Hugs and love,

P.S. There are fewer than 20 spots left in our final 365 book! If you’ve been thinking about joining us and sharing your story, I hope you’ll do so soon while there’s still space! You can learn more and sign up here: http://www.365soulfulmessages.com.