Life is like a camera. Focus on what’s important. Capture the good times. Develop from the negatives and if things don’t work out, take another shot.
I laugh all the time when my friends get caught in the rabbit hole of my social media pages. They always say, “Shy, why do you have so many pictures on your Facebook page?” I have so many in my phone that sometimes my phone will not work properly due to an overload of my storage! I can’t help it! I love cameras and I love looking at pictures whether I took them or not. To me, a picture can truly share a thousand words, and capture that split second and archive the moment forever.
Focus on What’s Important
This could be a tough one. We all have different meanings of what is important to us. How can we define importance so at least those living in your home? For example, my kids have the same understanding of what we value and why it’s important to us. We attempt to track importance. Here’s our short list.
1. Where do you spend your free time? Choose to invest your time in relationships with the greatest return of your time and love.
2. Where do you spend your money? Big purchases require commitment, smaller purchases are where we can get off track and lose focus. Invest in things with lasting value.
3. Where are you in your daydreams? Where your thoughts drift, your heart will soon follow.
4. What’s your purpose? When you leave earth, what will be your legacy? Leave a legacy of changed lives.
5. If this was your last day, what would you do? Do that right now, and until you have no more days. Don’t wait!
6. What area of life do you neglect? Relationships shouldn’t be on this list.
7. When are you happy? When you’re happy that is a clear sign of what’s important to you. My kids and I compare our lists and form a family sanctuary of importance.
Capture the Good Times
The good times are what help us remember all the fun things we’ve done and will continue to do. In this crazy world sometimes we get overwhelmed with negativity and stress lingering around us. In the midst of negativity I try to look for that rainbow. Find something positive to help me battle this tough journey. The good times in your life should outway the bad ones.
Develop From the Negatives
When I learned how to develop my pictures from the negatives it was a great experience. Looking at the exposed film that looked like a ghost image on the roll of pictures helped me to understand the entire process. Negative situations are an opportunity for growth and redrawing the line of your comfort zone. It’s not always negative, it’s just a shift in your comfort zone to expose your life to a new experience. Usually we don’t want to change so we put these experiences in the negative box.
Take Another Shot
The great thing about our experiences is that they belong to us. So we can start over with the same idea and do it a different way. Having a variety of ways to do the same thing can help save you in the future. If you’re like me, I’m always running into obstacles. Those obstacles sometimes seem difficult until I reflect on my life and realize that I’ve done this challenge before. Finding your parallel experiences and using what worked to help you conquer the previous challenge will work out in this new challenge.
My second shot starts with breathing, knowing that I will make it through this difficult time. Sharing my experience with others to expose my need and be vulnerable to others helping. Build a strong network of support and let them help you conquer another shot.
