Have you ever been in one of those places where everything in your life seemed wrong, dark, or ugly?

You know, the kind of place that looked fine on the outside but felt so bad on the inside that you couldn’t shake it. All you saw was ugliness, doom, gloom, and disaster lurking behind every corner. ( I added a little drama for effect!)

You felt like your life was about cleaning up messes, putting out fires, calming chaos and preventing wars. There was no harmony, beauty, self-care, or possibilities. You lost your passion, your purpose, and your positivity. You longed for better a life; and you kept seeing what you didn’t have.

Some might call that overwhelm, depression, negative thinking, or my “story” at the time; and that is partly true. However, I call it being the only girl living in a loving, but small, run down home with a husband, 11 and 17-year-old boys, Golden Retriever, Bunny and Guinea Pig.

That was my situation 12 years ago when an unexpected message from a still small voice (who I know as God) changed my focus and my life forever. That’s when I was reminded that WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS.

It was a sunny spring afternoon like many others before it and I was in a mood.

I was looking around my house, my life and myself and couldn’t see anything pretty. There were no pretty little trinkets on the coffee table, no pretty pillows on the couch, no pretty coffee mugs, no pretty smells, no flowers in our yard and worst of all, I didn’t feel pretty either. Nothing felt like “ME.”

I felt displaced and alone in my own life.

All I saw was guy stuff, both human and furry. Dirty socks were on the floor. Sports equipment was on the table. Laundry couldn’t find the hamper. Loud music and voices echoed at all hours. Baseball games were in the rain, college visits were pilgrimages, business trips were unscheduled, and fur constantly needed to be vacuumed. They were all so happy being chaotic and messy.

There was nothing beautiful in that, or so I thought.

All I wanted were some pink pretty flowers, things lined up in a row and rooms that stayed clean for at least a couple of days.

WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS:

Focusing on asking for guidance & listening.

As I began to pray for relief of an answer or anything that would make my life better; that still small voice told me to go to the craft store and buy myself some little pink flowers with a vase.

I argued that I didn’t really see the point in buying fake flowers and the problem in my life was much bigger than that.

Then the voice proceeded to tell me to focus on the flowers every day and carry the vase from room to room in the house and trust Him.

So, I listened and went. I drove the same route I had driven for years to the store, bought my flowers for 4.99 and headed home. They were cute flowers, but I couldn’t imagine they would make any difference in my life.

As I drove by the park heading home, I all of a sudden noticed the row of trees with little pink flowers. I was stunned. I had never noticed them before. I convinced myself that they had always been there and it was spring, so no big deal.

WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS:

Focusing on trusting and acting in faith.

What happened in the upcoming weeks after I brought my flowers home, was unbelievable. The night I brought them home, the kids and my husband commented on them and I could not get them out of my mind.

I started moving them around the house with me: when I went to work in my studio, pray in the morning, hangout with the dog in the afternoon. They became an actual extension of who I was. And I’m looking at them now, as I share this story.

WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS:

Focusing on seeing things differently and the joy that I felt.

The flowers made me smile, reminded me of God, helped me focus on what was good. I’d open a magazine and there would be ads with pink flowers. I’d go to the A & P and there would be trees with pink flowers. A friend sent me a card with pink flowers. My Mom bought me a sweater with pink flowers.

It was mind blowing. There were never so many pink flowers in my life before; or were there and I never noticed?

I’m not really sure.

The only thing I can say is that the more I chose to focus on my flowers, the easier it became for me to see the joys of an ordinary life.

WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS:

Focusing on gratitude for answered prayers.

God answered my prayer for a better life through those little pink flowers. He showed me that one small positive action can create a big life change. He showed me that what you focus on grows and it can add beauty or ugliness into your life.

The choice is ours and I choose to focus on what is good in myself, others, and the world most of the time. What about you?

WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS:

Focusing steps to get you started.

I encourage you to find your own “Little Pink Flowers”; something to help you on your journey through life. Find a symbol or token that will remind you what is good and positive and meaningful in your life. Create your own process and disciplines around it and see what happens.

Here are the steps I took that may help you:

1. Ask for guidance. Quiet your mind and listen with expectancy and you will receive an answer.
2. Respond immediately by taking one small step of action in the direction you are being led.
3. Notice what you see, feel, and experience yourself and your world as you’re taking action.
4. Pay attention to the aftermath of the action you took. Do you see things differently? Are your feelings more positive?
5. Develop an attitude of gratitude my keeping a list of all the things you’re grateful for as a result of your shift in focus.

YOUR TURN……….

If you’re feeling up to it, I’d love to hear from YOU.

Do you have your own Pink Flower story? I invite you to share it in the comments below. Share with me your journey toward a more beautiful life.  And if you are still on your journey, share that too.

Any other thoughts are welcome too.

Leave a comment below and share what’s on your mind.

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Remember, you were made to thrive,

Eleni

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