I hope everyone is taking the time to enjoy the summer. Too often we get so busy “doing” instead of “being” that we forget we are humanBEINGS not humanDOINGS. For me it has come down to a matter of focus, which is what this blog will be about.

How do we learn to focus in a world that is riddled with a continual influx of information? When we are on the computer we have bells and whistles that let us know we have e-mail coming in, appointments or a friend’s birthday. And the TV…. WOW!! I haven’t had TV for over 17 years and was watching it at a friend’s house the other night- Every time I would get into the movie it would stop and presto there are advertisements. The same advertisements over and over and over for the full two hours of the show… I was about ready to go loopy.

Children’s shows are in short spurts, video games change constantly I could go on forever with the way our world changes on a moment to moment basis. But the fact still remains- We as adults must stay focused on our jobs, raising kids, discipline (hot topic), and getting the bills paid. So, how, as adults do we break the cycle that we have been raised with.

This is the queue for personal development. Take out the pen and paper and make a decision- decide what is important to you. (AKA a goal) Once you have decided what is important to you work out the steps that will be required to achieve your goal.

Now sometimes as we are writing out the steps required we find ourselves shying away from particular aspects of the journey. These are the items in which you must pay the most attention to. These are the items that are hindering you from achieving not only this goal but many others in your life as well. Address the hard points- that is the personal development-finding a weakness and making it into a strength.

Once your goals have been chosen, your pathway has been set out and your weaknesses identified it is time to get the wheels into motion. Take the steps each day towards your goal and eventually it will be yours. Don’t worry if some days the steps are small as long as you are moving forward it is a positive direction. That is your focus -

• setting your goal
• determining your pathway
• taking the steps each day

As you make your way along the path to your goals be sure to reward yourself for both small and large successes. A little reward renews the strength on a long journey!