“You crown the year with your goodness; your paths overflow with rich food.” Psalm 65:11
We hear the words “new normal.” They are spoken by the news, friends, the religious, family, communities, and neighborhoods triggering new anxieties. However, rather than passively hearing, let’s take a minute to look a little deeper than buzzword depth. Focus brings about ideas of order, typical, tradition, and sane. Those words hardly describe our current climate. Chaos, disarray, and discord describe it more accurately. In other words, the “new focus” isn’t a form of any normal. A better label would be “new focus.” Not the focus we digest in media, but a focus of response. We are being told how to feel, how to react, what to say, where to go, and the reasons why we should or shouldn’t. Sides tell us to join or die, them or us. We’re told who is safe and who is dangerous. Someone else is giving us our conclusions. This list could go on and on, but the good news is we can manage focus. Focus has a storyline and direction. Here are some truths that help us not get lost in the “new focus.”
My response is mine. We can’t control what happens or doesn’t happen, but everybody will not decide for me how I will act or see things. I can control my response. Others can tell you what to do, but I can still say no. When I say yes or agree, I am simply buying into what’s requested. When I say no, I have the freedom to decide for myself. An individual making a decision is almost a rebellion nowadays. Maybe we shouldn’t default to yes so fast.
Hope is key. Everyone believes in something or someone. For some, it’s clearly themselves or, even worse, an Instagram “star.” Can we afford to put our outlook and hope in the hands of celebrities and media? Doom scrolling can leave you hopeless. Yet, it’s important to look at several things in life. One of America’s abilities to withstand the hardest times in history. Two, your home can be a house of hope. Three, your faith isn’t in yourself or others but in Christ. No one has permission to rewrite our hope in Jesus Christ.
Doing good things is another area of focus. The world may be falling apart, but you don’t have to cancel good works. Most neighborhoods have a Facebook page; go help out or send a card or care package. Something as simple as a kind note left in a mailbox. Make a phone call and say, “I miss you,” or “I’m proud of you,” or maybe even, “I love you.” Good can still happen in a world of hurt.
Attitude is up to me. The world may keep saying doomsday, but my outlook and attitude are not up for renegotiation. Even if everybody else at work is a critic, that doesn’t mean you have to join them. You can find pleasure in simple things. When the world seems on fire, music, old movies, friends, cooking, and playing with kids can give us a good perspective again. Light doesn’t give darkness a choice. If you want to be light today, nothing can stop you.
Maybe we need a new buzzword between us; let’s go for “new focus.” We have the ability to recover, return and thrive in our environments. What you do still matters, and you still can make a
difference. Use these days to grow, not to grumble. To help you thrive, online counseling can help you narrate your story. Having a Christian counselor serves as an aide to allow your processes, hopes in dreams to develop. Online Christian counseling will help you focus when your goals, yourself help, and your faith. Call NuWell counseling services. They have a team of professionals who specializes in helping others narrow down their focus and stay on track for the new year.
